


Oh Pretty Baby

by avagueidea



Series: Can't Take my Eyes Off of You [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Best wingman Akaashi is actually pining Akaashi, Bokuto/Kuroo are in an established relationship, Gay Dads AU, In a three for one dad special! Watch a triple throw down of pining stupidity and love, M/M, Multi, parenting, post-canon AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-06-16 23:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15448566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avagueidea/pseuds/avagueidea
Summary: Akaashi is possibly the only reason Bokuto and Kuroo even managed to get together in the first place. Now he just has to remember that fact while he helps Bokuto balance raising his infant daughter with a long distance relationship. If only he didn't think Kuroo was absolutely perfect for Bokuto, it might not matter that he was in love with him...The absolutely necessary gay dads, OT3 sequel toThe Way You Look Tonight





	1. Naptime

**Author's Note:**

> Outlined, edited and coconspirated with the help of the wonderful and talented [KingBeluga](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingBeluga/pseuds/KingBeluga).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's quiet... _too_ quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited ( ~~only by me I assume~~ ) sequel to [The Way You Look Tonight](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7259929)!!
> 
>  **Recap:** _Bokuto surprises Kuroo with a wedding announcement, then surprises himself when he sees his bro in a tux and realizes he is most certainly in love with him. Luckily none of this surprises Akaashi and after some dramatics he sets the two of them to talk it out. The wedding is called off, but Bokuto is still going to be a dad which means he'll need some help along the way._

        Akaashi gives a quiet call into the house, and gets no response. Either Bokuto failed to tell him he’s out, or it’s naptime. He gently sets down the grocery bag on the countertop and pulls out his phone to check the time. 2pm: Naptime.

        Akaashi pads over to the spare bedroom turned nursery. Bokuto used to have a roommate once upon a time, before his fiancé had moved in, before they’d broken it off, before he had an infant Thursdays through Sundays. Surprisingly, Akaashi hadn’t been that roommate at any point, but it feels like he might as well be now.

        Bokuto was an enthusiastic father, but not well researched. Akaashi remembers the nerves in Suzume’s eyes when she dropped off her infant for the first time with Bokuto. It wasn’t going to be just a few hours, or a day with the two of them in her sight still. She was handing over her infant child to Bokuto’s sole care for the entire day. No one could doubt the man’s sweetness and earnestness, but she had still sighed in relief when she spotted Akaashi. They exchanged quiet nods and Bokuto had looked mildly offended.

        Akaashi smiles to himself at the memory. It has been months since then, and he’s still coming over every day Bokuto has custody, that is, except yesterday. He feels a little guilty having skipped a day, even though he’s sure he shouldn’t. He has no obligation to show up. It isn’t his child, it isn’t his boyfriend. All the same, he brought over Bokuto’s favorite chips to ease his conscious.

        He pushes open the door to peek in, expecting to find them on the rocking chair together, or Bokuto watching her sleep. He sees a sleeping baby in the crib, but it takes a moment before he thinks to look down and spots Bokuto, passed out on the floor beside it. He pauses and lets out a huff of a laugh.

        Reaching over, he turns off the spinning mobile, though he lets the soft music continue to play. He grabs the cushion from the rocker and folds it over. Kneeling down, he lifts Bokuto’s head. Bokuto shifts slightly and his hand grabs Akaashi’s as he tries to slide the pillow under his head. Akaashi thinks about pulling away, but sighs instead, adjusting on the floor to get more comfortable.

        His hand is squeezed and he mindlessly squeezes back. He does a mental check that nothing he’d brought over needs to go right into the fridge.

 

        Akaashi doesn’t know how much time passes before Bokuto’s eyes crack open. His brow furrows for a moment and then he spots Akaashi and it smooths over.

         “What are you doing sleeping on the floor,” Akaashi asks in a whisper. It’s barely a question and more a scolding. Bokuto answers it anyway.

         “I didn’t get any sleep last night,” he explains, “I didn’t wanna go hard pass out somewhere too far away, ya know, just in case.”

        Akaashi nods a little. “Well, maybe get some sleep next time.” He’s tugging at Bokuto’s hand and he starts to get up, pouting.

         “She was fussy. Right from the get go. Wanted nothing to do with me.” His whisper sounds hurt.

         “She loves you, Bokuto” Akaashi says simply, nipping the depression in the bud on instinct.

         “I know… I guess she’s just used to having you as the transfer between mommy and scary, crazy weird guy.” He wears a softer pout now. Akaashi rolls his eyes.

         “Don’t blame me for a fussy baby,” Akaashi says ushering him out of the room. Bokuto tries to resist. “I have the monitor on. I’ll make sure she’s okay. You sleep.” Bokuto nods and allows Akaashi to push him to his bed.

        “Really though,” he says, his voice a little louder now that they were out of the nursery. “You always hold her while Suzume and I talk. I think it makes transferring over here calmer for her. You’re like the baby whisperer, Akaashi,” he says with a goofy, sleepy grin on his face.

         “And _you_ are sleep deprived.”

         “Mmm,” he mumbles a little affirmation as he flops into his bed with an obnoxious disregard for the loud creak and thump of the headboard against the wall. Akaashi tosses a blanket over him and the man instantly wraps himself up in it.

        Akaashi checks on Akira, still sleeping soundly in her crib. She’s as heavy a sleeper as Bokuto, usually, which makes it hard to believe she didn’t sleep last night. She has been teething though, Akaashi considers. He sweeps a hand down over her soft hair already sitting up in every which way like her fathers. He scoops up an extra teething ring to put in the fridge for later. He tidies up without thinking before settling down on the couch. He pulls out a book he left for just such occasions as these. The lullaby echoes softly through the baby monitor next to him and Bokuto’s snoring finds its way down the hall to him as well, but neither bother him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter to start us off. Should be pretty consistent updates on this one 13-14 total chapters. Stay tuned!
> 
>  **Next Chapter:** _Skype Date_ , in which we learn were babies come from.


	2. Skype Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto's got a hot digital date~

         “She is so close to crawling!” Bokuto nearly shouts in frustration as Akira rolls back over onto her back, seeming just about as upset as her father.

         “Calm down,” Akaashi says from the kitchen a few feet away.

         “She _wants_ to crawl, she just can’t DO it. Did you see her? She just needs to keep her knees under herself!” Bokuto looks up suddenly from his place next to the play mat to his friend warming up Akira’s bottle. “She needs to work on her quads,” he announces.

         “You are not putting a baby on a workout regiment, Bokuto.” There isn’t any argument, just a flat statement.

         “No! No, it won’t be a _regiment_ , Akaashi! Just… make sure she gets her leg work out…” he says mindlessly bicycling her legs as she giggles. It turns into a full blown fit of squiggling laughter when he touches her teensy toes to her teensy nose. He pauses and looks up sheepishly when a shadow looms over him.

         “No, please. Go ahead and keep riling her up so she won’t want to sleep at all. It’s not like you asked me to put her down for a nap for you so you could be on time for your skype date or anything.” Akaashi gives him a withering stare.

        Bokuto throws his hands together and ducks his head. “Thank you Akaashi! I’m just tiring her out for you! I swear! Isn’t that right, Aki-Aki Akiiiira?” he says, turning to her in the baby talk voice that Akaashi has schooled his face to show indifference to. It certainly isn’t entirely endearing to watch the bulky man sweet talk an infant. Nope. Not at all. His face is stone.

        Bokuto scoops up the baby and Akaashi takes her dutifully. “Hello, little fledgling,” he coos at her, his demeanor instantly softening. She grabs wildly at his face, which he ignores. He hadn’t had a chance to properly greet her yet today. “Still can’t quite crawl yet, hm?” he asks, his voice sing-songy.

         “I thought you didn’t like baby talk Akaashi,” Bokuto accuses, but is grinning up from where he still sat on the floor.

        Akaashi rolls his eyes, if for no other reason as an excuse not to look directly at the other man when he is making a face like that. “I disapprove of using fake words with her. The tone is helpful for early linguistic development, though.”

         “Ahh! You and Kuroo need to stop sending each other those parenting articles! She is MY daughter, if you two remember,” Bokuto insists. “If I wanna use baby talk and tell her she came from a stork when she asks about babies, I'm gonna tell her she came from a stork!”

        Akaashi gives a quiet hum of acceptance, which means he’s ignoring Bokuto. He’s texting with his spare hand, emphasizing the point. “Yes, well, don’t you have a date to be on?” Akaashi asks dully, shoving his phone back in his pocket so he can bounce Akira better as she starts fussing.

         “Yeah! I do!” Bokuto bounds over to his laptop, flinging it open. Usually Kuroo and Bokuto were able to schedule these things better, but Kuroo is overseas for business and their hours haven’t been lining up. Bokuto was clearly getting frustrated. He would get upset even before the two had started going out whenever he was ‘Kurooless’ for more than a day or two. Since they started dating he has become predictably more needy. He is already wearing a big, stupid grin on his face as he boots up his computer, thrumming his fingers impatiently.

        By the time everything is set up, Akira is getting fussy. She’s ready for a nap. Honestly, so is Akaashi, but he waits to say hello first.

        Kuroo’s face pops onto the screen and Bokuto is instantly shouting.

         “Ahh! You can’t do this to me! Your hair is all slicked back and stuff still! You’re killing me bro! KILLING. ME.” Kuroo is giving his sideways smirk in response, quick to take advantage of his ‘mistake’.

        Akaashi sighs, “Calm down,” he suggests quietly from off screen. Not to say he doesn’t appreciate Kuroo dressed up. The man looks damn good in a suit and Akaashi wouldn’t try to claim otherwise. No one needs to inflate his ego more on that front, though. Not since the wedding incident at least.

         “I will do no such thing! How dare you show up on MY web camera, looking like _that_!” Bokuto bursts.

         “Bokuto, you’re riling Akira up,” Akaashi warns.

         “Hi Akaashi~,” Kuroo finally bothers to speak rather than just sit there and look pretty for his boyfriend.

        Akaashi sits down with Akira in one arm. “Hello Kuroo.”

         “And there’s the little kitten! Turn her this way I have something important to tell her!” Kuroo insists. Akaashi does and Bokuto is instantly off about how close she was to crawling today, and how her quads need some work. “Yeah, yeah. That’s nice, Bo. Now, Akira! I’m here to tell you where babies just like you come from! You see when a mommy and a daddy have sex, two haploid cells, a sperm and an egg, are joined! This is because haploid cells only have half the set of DNA you need, so you need some from mommy and daddy. This is called sexual reproduction and allows for genetic variance—.”

         “What the F—french toast Kuroo!?” Bokuto reaches over to snag his daughter from where Akaashi happily held her out to the explanation. Akaashi’s wearing a small smile which gives him away.

         “Stork! I said she’s getting the stork explanation! Did you two PLAN this? Get your haploids and whatever the heck else outa here you nerds!” Bokuto says, holding the now squirming child close to his chest. Kuroo is snickering. “Look! You’ve upset her with your nerd talk,” he insists.

         “No, she’s hungry,” Akaashi corrects.

         “Fine! I’m taking her away from your filth.” Bokuto stands up with a fake huff and takes Akira with him to check on her bottle, warming up in warm water.

 

        Akaashi shifts to the middle of the camera view, as Kuroo’s eyes follow Bokuto off the side of the screen then jump back to focus on Akaashi. His grin doesn’t fade, but it’s a little less manic. He recedes to a calmer nature when he isn’t trying to make up for lost time and long distance with his boyfriend. “How are things hanging?”

         “Same as usual. Thank you for your little introduction there,” he says with a sly smile.

         “Heh, I have no intention of letting that little girl think a stork brought her, that’s for damn sure.”

         “He’d probably change it to a great horned owl,” Akaashi notes.

        Kuroo lets out a bark of a laugh, “Don’t give him ideas! He will!”

        Akaashi chuckles, “How are things in Canada? It’s late for you isn’t it?”

         “Going on midnight, but I don’t have to be up early on Saturday.”

         “Mm, I see why Bokuto wanted to snag you now then. He’s been pouting all week.”

        Kuroo chuckles and fiddles with the bit of hair falling out of place. Akaashi’s eyes are trained on his hand running through his hair. Yeah, no, he certainly can’t disapprove of the half undone business man look on Kuroo. He pulls it off just right, right down to the smirk. Akaashi watches the hand sink down to loosen his tie.

         “Hey, are you checking e-mails while we’re skyping?” Kuroo accuses, small frown passing over his lips.

        Akaashi blinks and realizes he was watching the screen too intensely for Kuroo to think he was still looking at him. He keeps his expression even, “Not all of us want to stare at you for hours on end like Bokuto.”

         “Ahh, what? Yes everyone does. You’re talking nonsense now, Akaashi. I mean, who doesn’t want a sexy business man stripping for them?” he asks, loosening his tie further before he gives it a hard yank to whip it out from his collar.

        Akaashi chokes slightly. Luckily it sounds derisive enough, because Kuroo frowns. “Boo! Bring Bokuto back over. He always appreciates my strip teases.”

        Akaashi puts up a hand to shield himself from the information. Luckily Bokuto is back with Akira and a bottle in hand. Akaashi stands up and takes them both smoothly. He pauses before he leans back over and instructs Akira to say goodbye. The infant doesn’t comply, but she does smile at the wave she gets from the man on the screen and squiggles.

        Akaashi leaves the two to themselves quickly. They may have done it with the dumbest timing possible (unsurprising) but they had realized each other’s feelings. They needed the time to make their long distance thing work. If this is all he could do to help them along, that’s what he’d do for them.

 

        Akaashi considers his options. There’s a rocker in the nursery, true, and that was the reasonable option, but there is also Bokuto’s room. It was further from the living room, so there was less of a chance of an outburst startling Akira back awake. Possibly more importantly, Bokuto’s bed is admittedly _very_ cozy…

 

~*~*~

 

         “I’m very upset with Akaashi’s lack of enthusiasm over my stripping,” Kuroo notes.

        Bokuto cackles, “Of course Akaashi’s not impressed with your stripping, babe.”

         “He wasn’t even embarrassed,” Kuroo complains.

         “Why would he be?” Bokuto shrugs.

         “Not even with my slowly… pulling off… my clothes,” Kuroo’s fingers are on his shirt, pulling open buttons one by one.

         “Ahk! Stop. I said _Akaashi_ wouldn’t be affected,” Bokuto clarifies, covering his face. Kuroo snickers.

         “Why do I have to stop?” he asks, his lopsided grin widening.

         “Uhm! Because Akaashi and the babe are like in the other room!” he shout-whispers back.

         “So?” Kuroo asks, fingers playing with his buttons.

         “And I don’t even have a _door_ , bro!” Bokuto shoots back, now covering the screen instead of his face.

         “Tsk. Whatever, he’s not going to come back in here,” he assures, popping open one more button.

         “How can you be sure!” he asks pulling his hands back away from the screen.

         “Cuz it’s Akaashi and he knows better” Kuroo says. If Akaashi is half as all-knowing as they both assume he must be, he’d know they were up to shenanigans before they would.

        Bokuto pauses and opens his mouth to protest. “Still a horrible idea—STOP TAKING YOUR SHIRT OFF!” he bursts a bit too loud and his hands are back over his mouth again. He glares at Kuroo accusingly.

         “Fine. Fine.” Kuroo moves to button his shirt back up.

         “Hey hey! Woah! I never said you could get _RE_ dressed,” Bokuto says, stalling his efforts.

 

        The conversation flows easily from there. Kuroo stays half unbuttoned for Bokuto, and they chat about work and travelling. Kuroo even feels sappy enough to tell Bokuto he misses him. Bokuto shamelessly reciprocates the sentiment. They stare dumbly into each other’s eyes, looking as lovesick as they felt. Bokuto eventually interrupts their mushy Skype date.

         “I think Akira is down for her nap. I’m gonna go check,” he says standing up and disappearing for a few moments.

        Kuroo takes the time to actually change, pulling off his button up and slacks and changing into an old t-shirt and pajama pants. He smiles when he realizes he’d taken one of the shirts he’d stolen from Bokuto years and years ago. He must have subconsciously known he’d miss his boyfriend on the trip. It’s from some training camp in high school when he’d first been figuring out his feelings for the rival team’s ace. He’d ‘accidentally’ switched their shirts in the locker room. He remembers his heart stuttering when Bokuto realized and grinned, saying he was keeping Kuroo’s. He said something about it making his arms look great, which it really, _really_ had if Kuroo’s hormone addled teenage memory was anything to go by. After Bokuto’s almost wedding, though, he wonders now if he’d kept it for the same reason Kuroo had kept his…

        Bokuto appears back on his screen in a blur. Before Kuroo can relay any of these fond memories, or ask if he still has his shirt, Bokuto ‘shh’es Kuroo and the scenery swirls. Kuroo’s view bounces around as he’s carried down the little hall. There’s a pause.

        Bokuto makes a strangled, quiet sound before his face takes up the entirety of the screen, “Kurooooo,” he whispers, clearly straining to keep his voice that low. “Kuroooo look how cute they are!” He insists, turning the screen around and leaning around to make sure he’s actually showing the scene laid out on his bed.

        Akaashi is dead asleep, looking utterly at peace with a baby tucked carefully into his arms, holding onto a finger. Bokuto flips the computer screen around again and it’s all the left half of his face. “They’re so flipping adorable,” he practically whimpers.

        Kuroo snorts but keeps quiet, letting Bokuto show him again before he creeps back out of the bedroom. The scene _is_ cute. He knew Akaashi could pull off pretty but being able to do adorable too was a bit unfair. He’d be tempted to crawl in and join him for a nap if he was there. It’s probably for the best he isn’t, though. Bokuto might actually cry to see all three of them napping together.

        Kuroo thinks someone is going to have quite the catch, snagging up Akaashi one day, but before the thought is fully processed his brain is already throwing it out. It implies Akaashi not being there, holding Akira during his skype dates, or calling out corrections from the kitchen on their phone conversations. His brain rejects the idea instantly.

        They let Akaashi and Akira nap.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The best way to deal with the "where do babies come from" question is to just teach your preschooler about genetics (warning, in practice this may lead to inadvertently explaining sperm banks to your 5 year old while stuck in traffic).
> 
> **Next Chapter:** _Friday Nights Were Made for Partying_ , in which Friday nights are not utilized for partying.


	3. Friday Nights Were Made for Partying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizume has the babe for the weekend, it's time to party, right??

        Akaashi always helps babysit. It started off as sincere concern, mostly. He assumed Bokuto would need his help (and he did) so he was there. Bokuto is fairly well trained as a parent by now, but Akaashi still keeps coming over. It’s simply what he’s done for nearly a decade: he’s helped Bokuto. The idea of not coming leaves an uneasy feeling in the pit of Akaashi’s stomach. He pointedly doesn’t address it. There’d be no use in it anyway…

        Today isn’t a parenting day, though. Today is the first Friday Bokuto hasn’t had Akira in months. Shizume took her to see her grandparents and they won’t be back for another two days. Akaashi shows up at Bokuto’s door expecting the man to be dressed and ready to go out. He’d been surprised how easily Bokuto gave up his weekend partying for his daughter, so he assumes he’ll want to make up for lost time. He doesn’t expect to find Bokuto in his flannel owl pajamas pants and an old Fukurōdani Academy shirt at 8pm. He toes off the ankle boots that suddenly seem way too stylish for the evening.

         “Bokuto,” Akaashi greets evenly as he puts his keys down on the kitchen counter. Bokuto is putting away dishes, padding around the kitchen in a pair of fuzzy socks. Akaashi feels overall flashy, not something he usually had to worry about when he’d go out with Bokuto on the weekends.

         “Hey hey!” Bokuto greets with a grin. His expression falters as he looks Akaashi up and down. “Were you on a date or something?” He wiggles his eyebrows with the accusation.

        Akaashi clears his throat and thanks the natural calmness of his face. “I’m surprised you aren’t dressed and ready to go. I would have thought you’d be dying to go out on a Friday.”

        Bokuto pauses and shrugs, “I mean, if you wanna hit the town, but I’m kinda… ready for a Netflix and chill kinda night.” Akaashi has long since stopped trying to explain the explicit connotations associated with the phrase ‘netflix and chill’. In college he watched many girls and boys alike head to Bokuto’s dorm thinking they were going to get laid, only to end up watching Birdemic with the decisively plutonicly-cuddly volley ball player. Either way, it is too late now to correct the usage.

         “I can see that,” Akaashi replies dryly, making a point to look him over again. He’s grown a bit since highschool, making the shirt fit snugly. A Netflix night sounds perfect, if he’s being honest. He can already feel himself unwinding from the pre-emptive tension of a night of loud bars and forced socializing.

         “And I can see that _you’re_ feeling it too,” Bokuto says with a grin.

         “You can see that?” Akaashi asks, raising an eyebrow. He hasn’t really changed his expression, or done anything to indicate he’d prefer the movie night in.

         “Course! I’ve only known you for **_9_** years Akaashi,” Bokuto says with a boisterous laugh. He throws an arm over his shoulder, “I can tell when you’re happy you don’t have to be all people persony anymore,” he assures. Akaashi stares at him for a moment, trying to decipher if he really _could_ tell, or if he just got lucky. After 9 years, though, he supposes maybe even Bokuto could pick up some observation skills…

         “All right. What are we watching then?” Akaashi asks, pulling off his jacket. Bokuto watches it go, looking a little forlorn. He always told Akaashi he looks ‘cool’ in the leather jacket and he rarely wears it without prompting. Akaashi is worried for a moment that he’s reconsidering going out, but his eyes jump back up.

         “Want pajamas?” he asks.

         “I took my spare here home to wash,” Akaashi replies, heading to the couch.

         “Borrow some of mine!” Bokuto is already heading off.

         “They’ll fall right off me,” Akaashi calls calmly after the man as he disappears into his bedroom.

         “Oh,” comes the disembodied response. There’s still shuffling though, so Akaashi walks over to lean on the doorway, only to have an armful of clothes shoved at him.

         “Kuroo’s pants should fit, then,” Bokuto says. “They’ll be long on you but that’ll be cute,” he pauses suddenly. Akaashi sighs, feeling Bokuto’s stare on him without even having to look. He’s probably waiting for a response to the ‘cute’ bit. He always hopes to get a bigger rise out of Akaashi than he ever gives. He’s not sure why he even keeps bothering.

         “I’m sure they’ll fit,” Akaashi assures, stepping into the room. He decidedly does not look at Bokuto as he does. He’s certainly making some sort of face. Akaashi doesn’t need that right now.

         “So, did you have a date?” Bokuto asks again, not leaving the room. Akaashi is pulling off his shirt regardless.

         “What?”

         “Did you actually have a date or something? You’re all ‘fancy-pantsy Akaashi’ tonight,” Bokuto says gesturing to him even though he was half naked at this point. Akaashi pauses and sighs.

         “Yes, like I said, I thought you would want to go out.”

        Bokuto is silent for a moment too long, forcing Akaashi to look over just as he breaks, “Akaashi! I have a boyfriend. What would Kuroo say about you asking me out like that?” Bokuto barks out, faux scandalized.

        Akaashi stares him dead in the eye and responds, “He’d probably ask for a threeway.” Bokuto looks stunned for a moment. Then he’s howling.

         “You’re right! That’s exactly what he’d say if I told him you asked me out!” he bursts, chortling. He calms a little, “He’s a lot more needy than you’d think,” Bokuto warns. “Oh! And he’d be really upset not to be my prettiest boyfriend anymore,” Bokuto tags on with glee.

         “He’s had since highschool to get used to me being better looking than him,” Akaashi reminds.

         “Yeah! But it’s different when he’s trying to be all seductive and stuff. It only works because he knows he’s, like, crazy handsome. He’d look like a total dork trying to be all sexy if you were there,” Bokuto is wearing a delighted, and absolutely _not_ devastatingly charming, grin. He is clearly imagining the entire scene in vivid detail.

         Akaashi stops himself from going on. He has to. Nothing good will come of this conversation…

         “Hm,” he gives a noncommittal noise instead of a real response. Bokuto is just staying in the doorway, quietly giggling to himself. Akaashi sighs and finally reaches over to push him out. “Go pick something for us to watch,” he instructs.

         “Oo! Let’s-,”

        Akaashi doesn’t even let him finish.

         “No. Pick something better.”

        Bokuto pouts. “You don’t even know what I was going to say,” he insists. Akaashi levels him with an even stare and pause of silence. It seems meaningful but really it is just giving him time to figure out what he would be excited about that was on Netflix right now.

         “Dogcopter 3,” he says. Bokuto’s eyes widen. A tiny smug smile tugs onto Akaashi’s lips. He continues pushing Bokuto away and he reluctantly goes, letting him finish changing in peace.

        It isn’t that he’s shy about changing in front of Bokuto in general. He’s done it too many times to be phased. Today’s outfit, though, is a bit trickier than usual. Specifically, the pair of pants that he had chosen are admittedly too tight for a graceful disrobing. He curses at himself for deciding to wear them at all. He’d been so close to just throwing on a pair of regular jeans and being done with it, but these ones make his ass look so good. He hates that he cared how his ass was going to look for tonight at all. He was just going out with Bokuto. Or he was going to be. Now he is just trying to get out of his damn pants before he takes a suspiciously long time changing.

        He shimmies them off his waist and has just about one leg out when he hops and hits the edge of the matress. He tries to throw his foot down to balance himself, but that only destabilizes his other foot and he finds himself thrown back into Bokuto’s bed. He lays there, pants around his ankles, staring up at the ceiling, and sighs.

         “Hey hey! So, how about—,” Bokuto bursts back into the room, but his footsteps stop at the doorway. There’s a long silence as Akaashi’s eyebrows press together. He lets out a long, pained breath through his nose as if he can simply will this situation away.

         “You need some help there, buddy?” Bokuto asks and Akaashi can _feel_ the amused, adorable expression he’s certainly doing a poor job suppressing.

         “No,” Akaashi breathes out and slowly sits himself up. He doesn’t look at Bokuto. He just grabs the pants and yanks them off his ankles. He can hear Bokuto waffling at the doorway, his feet squeaking the floorboards. He’s probably trying so hard not to laugh and Akaashi is beyond relieved when he leaves without teasing. He isn’t sure how Bokuto knew he couldn’t deal with it right at the moment, but for all the man’s bluntness and obliviousness, he really does pick up on somethings.

 

        Akaashi takes a deep breath to calm himself down before heading out of the bedroom. It has nothing to do with the fact that the old t-shirt he is now wearing has a familiar, musky scent to it.

        He finds Bokuto has already set up on the couch. There were two beers ready for them, pillows stacked up on both sides and a blanket at the ready to be thrown over them. He sits down closer than he’d usually have to on the couch, but the pillows force him right next to Bokuto. He doesn’t mind, of course. This is how they have watched movies since high school, in a nest. They were owls after all.

         “Made it out of those pants all on your own! Good job!” Bokuto cheers. Akaashi frowns at him but he only smiles in response.

        Bokuto throws the blanket over them and settles in flicking on a nature documentary. It’s about owls, of course. Well, it’s about birds of prey, but owls are mentioned in the description prominently, so it’s about owls. Akaashi notices the beer is his favorite too. A pang of guilt suddenly runs through him, even as he settles back, shoulder to shoulder with his former captain.

        This is Bokuto’s first Friday free in ages and he’s sitting, drinking Akaashi’s favorite beer and watching nature documentaries. This would have been the ‘Akaashi gets to choose the activities’ night in college. Back then Bokuto would groan and sigh about parties going on and free food they were missing. Bokuto chose all this this time.

         “You’re being awfully accommodating,” he notes. Bokuto looks over and seems honestly confused. “I really thought you’d wanna go out, I mean,” he goes on, “This is all ‘boring Akaashi night’ stuff.”

        Bokuto laughs and shifts so he can throw an arm around Akaashi. He’s always so warm. Akaashi can’t help but relax against him. He never could resist it. He tried, back when he was a first year in high school. He’d go stiff to try and make it clear he didn’t like the close physical contact, but Bokuto didn’t buy it and after barely a week, even he didn’t buy it. He leans into Bokuto’s side naturally now.

         “I miss boring Akaashi nights!” Bokuto informs and Akaashi chuckles quietly. “We never get to do boring stuff anymore. You’re always popping in and out of here with your classes and work and my work and everything. And it’s mostly when Aki’s here—,” Bokuto sits up a little straighter, “Don’t get me wrong, man! I love that you help me with her! Like,” He turns to look down at Akaashi, who reluctantly sits back up to look him in the eye as he goes on. “Really. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

        Akaashi wishes he hadn’t been looking him in the eyes for that statement. They are so bright and honest and Akaashi feels his heart stop for just a moment at the declaration. A loud owl noise from the TV breaks the stare and Akaashi looks away, forcing himself back into Bokuto’s side.

         “You’d have brought home the wrong baby carrier from the park the second day you were watching her,” Akaashi informs certainly. There’s a pause before Bokuto’s eyes pull back from watching a super cool slow motion swoop in to catch a mouse.

         “Look! They were the _exact. Same. Carrier._ ” Bokuto protests. Akaashi smiles to himself.

         “Mmhmm,” he says.

        Bokuto bristles. “I would have figured it out before I got home,” he adds.

         “Mmhmm,” he repeats.

         “Okay, but that’s my point! I clearly needed help with the whole baby thing! Suzume probably would have noticed if I gave her a random baby from the park,” he exclaims.

         “The police would have noticed when you stole a baby,” Akaashi assures.

         “Yeah! Exactly!” Akaashi lets out a little laugh as Bokuto goes on. “Which is why I need someone else to watch me. So, you know, anyway, it’s been good having an extra set of hands and stuff,” he says.

         “So… this is a thank you?” Akaashi asks.

         “What? No! I just wanted to drink beer and watch owl documentaries,” Bokuto retorts and Akaashi snorts.

         “So, you wouldn’t do this on your own?” he asks.

         “Beer and owls is a great thing to do with or without company.”

         “If you say so,” Akaashi says with a light shrug, his shoulder moving against him.

         “Whatever, man. You’re enjoying it,” he replies dismissively. He pauses, “And it is nicer to do stuff with someone around.”

         “Mm,” Akaashi agrees. It’s nice and comfortable and he thinks maybe he’ll just have to make more time for things like this again. Bokuto seems to need a bit more regular hanging out time and he finds he doesn’t mind feeling needed for something other than just babysitting. He likes the idea that Bokuto needs him for this, to relax. That he appreciates him. He’s pressed against Bokuto’s side and it just feels so… right.

         “Oh! That reminds me,” Akaashi is jarred around as Bokuto is suddenly bouncing with excitement. “You won’t have to be my fulltime nanny anymore.” Akaashi pushes off Bokuto and confusion is plain over his face. “Kuroo called me earlier, he got the transfer so he’ll be moving out here!”

        Akaashi’s guilt is back in spades when his stomach drops. Bokuto is so excited and Akaashi feels like an ass not being able to match his excitement. Kuroo coming is a good thing, good for his best friends’ relationship, good for Akira, good for him even. He likes Kuroo. He really does. The man is smart and charming and responsible (usually) and balances out Bokuto perfectly. Everything about this is good.

        Akaashi just won’t be needed anymore soon, not as an extra pair of hands to take care of Akira or just lounging around with Bokuto on a quiet evening. Kuroo will be here and after so long in a long-distance relationship, they’ll need some them time. Akaashi will, of course, give them their space, let Bokuto rely on his boyfriend. That is the reasonable thing to do.

         “Good,” he replies solidly. It _is_. “He’s been asking for that transfer for ages. It’s about time.” Bokuto is all smiles and bubbliness, and it’s infectious.

        It really is a good thing. Akaashi is smiling too.

        Akaashi’s done his part. It’ll be up to the two of them to work things out from now on.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are enjoying the fic so far! My plan is two updates a week since some chapters will be pretty short. Currently thinking Tuesday and Friday. So, check in or subscribe for updates! :D
> 
>  **Next Chapter** : _Morning Light_ , in which things appear softer.


	4. Morning Lighting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little chapter about waking up.

        A night out usually would have meant partying until 2 am and stumbling home for one last beer before talking until 4. They were owls, after all, they had to live up to the title. Bokuto always fell asleep first though. He drank more, he partied harder, so he crashed harder. He’d keep talking until Akaashi realized his words were making less and less sense. Finally, it’d become clear he was asleep.

        That is what makes it so much stranger for Akaashi, coming back into hazy awareness, to realize he has no memory or tucking Bokuto into bed and turning out the lights. The TV had long since turned itself off. Soft morning light, something he usually avoids like the plague with blackout curtains and late as possible classes, filters in around them. Bokuto looks nice in this lighting. Maybe it’s a shame they never get up early.

        Bokuto stirs and leans in closer. They’re still in the nest of blankets Bokuto crafted for them. Akaashi barely opens his eyes enough to take in the surroundings. He’s mostly just taking in Bokuto. His hair is a mess and his expression is soft and open. He’s always soft and open and warm.

        Bokuto smiles as Akaashi shifts in his arms. Something that sounds vaguely like a ‘morning’ scrapes out of his throat, rough with sleep and long hours of boisterous talking.

        Akaashi hums tiredly. Bokuto hums back and leans in closer and it feels only natural to let the arms pull him in, to let their faces slip against each other.

         “Morning,” Akaashi finally manages with a voice he’s surprised is equally raspy. When does he ever speak so soon after waking up? It’s not usual that he wakes up with anyone _to_ talk to. He likes it. This is probably why people have boyfriends. For moments like this. Even in the haze of his sleep, the thought seems to filter through and trigger a reminder.

        Why people have boyfriends.

        Like Kuroo has Bokuto. Bokuto who is leaned in, cheek to his, turning and the faintest brush of lips hints at his intentions. Bokuto, sleepy, cuddly Bokuto, is going to kiss him. And Akaashi wants him to. The strong arms pulling him in, every inch of warmth pressed against him, every soft breath against his ear, he wants it.

        He could just have this. He could have this moment and have the kiss he never took in all Bokuto’s slobbery drunken moments, because it would have meant more to him than his overly affectionate friend. He’s been so good for so many years. He’s had so much self-restraint. What is one sleepy kiss in all of that? Like a goodbye for something he never knew. Bokuto would probably even apologize for it. Akaashi could chide him and thump him on the head for it and move on. He could so easily…

        Bokuto murmurs against his cheek and turns his head. Akaashi’s hand comes up gently to the side of his face. His cheeks are soft and warm, like the whole moment, cupped in his hand. He picks his hand up carefully… and snaps it back down in a sharp, short smack.

        Bokuto starts, pushing away. His eyes flutter as he wakes up from the bap.

         “Ahhh!” His voice is gravely still, “Akaashiiiii, I was so comfortable,” he protests. He’s pushing up and off him, despite his complaints.

         “Mm, yes, well, I was being squashed,” he lies.

        Bokuto chuckles as he sits back and rubs his eyes. He seems pleased with the idea of crushing him. Akaashi scowls, but his heart isn’t in it and Bokuto calls him out on it.

         “Ah, your glares aren’t so scary in the morning,” he says with a sloppy smirk on his face. Akaashi looks away with a forced sigh. He untangles himself from the blankets as quickly as he could manage without looking like a man desperately clawing his way out of the grave. He feels just about dead after that smile on Bokuto’s face.

        Bokuto lets him go and Akaashi finds an excuse to leave as soon as he’s gathered his things up. He doesn’t even let Bokuto talk him into breakfast, even though eating every bit of leftovers Bokuto has with an egg on top sounds like heaven for his stomach and his nerves.

        It’s a good thing that Kuroo is moving in. It’s a really good thing, because Akaashi will have to stop playing house then. He _needs_ to stop playing, for everyone’s sake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slap away your troubles Akaashi! That's just good problem solving, right?
> 
>  **Next Chapter:** _The End of an Era_ , in which Kuroo holds a baby, and it's devastating(ly adorable).


	5. The End of an Era

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo arrives on the scene!

        The weeks pass quickly. Akira is crawling, Bokuto has a promotion, Akaashi’s term papers are looming. The time rushes by Akaashi in a blur. His world is about to change and Akaashi feels like he should have taken this time to savor it, but it's over before he has the chance to.

        Kuroo is coming tomorrow. That means this is the last time he’ll be needed as the transition between Shizume and Bokuto. The finality of it weighs Akaashi down as he gets out of class. He spent the day intensely focused on even the smallest of tasks to keep himself preoccupied. Now he has nothing but heading to Bokuto’s apartment. His mind is left to freely roam and it instantly picks up where it had left off in the morning before he had distractions. He feels anxious and empty.

        He has today, though, Akaashi reminds himself. It might be the end of an era, but that doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy it. He might not admit it, but all his complaints about stolen time and playing nanny, were bull. Bokuto probably knew that, of course, but it had done a decent job in convincing himself he wouldn’t miss the extra burden on his time. As he sits on the train, bag over his lap fussing with the tabs, he knows it was a blatant lie.

        He is determined to make the best of his last day. He will be the best damn nanny in the world. It’s childish, but he's determined that he will be missed when he isn’t there to keep a fussy child in check. He is a patty cake pro and kicks ass at peekaboo. He wants Bokuto to know that. It’s selfish and petty, but he will enjoy it.

 

        He shows up at the door to Bokuto’s apartment, surprised to see Shizume already there, chatting easily with Bokuto. His eyes automatically search for her, but Akira is in neither of their arms. A burst of squealing giggles catches his attention and he takes another few steps to bring Kuroo into view, sprinkling the girl’s cheeks with kisses as she squiggles joyously in his arms.

        Kuroo is doing Akaashi’s job with such perfection it’s heart wrenching. There is none of her usually grasping out for him and insistent babble when he shows up. The little girl doesn’t even notice Akaashi. For a time, no one else does either.

         “Akaashi!” Kuroo is the first to see him, glancing away from the little girl and grinning broadly at him.

        Shizume turns and gives him the smile she always does. It’s just short of an eyeroll at Bokuto and with a touch of relief. Akaashi realizes she’s been giving him that look since Bokuto had first crashed their study group. She had still nearly married the man despite all the eyerolls and long suffering sighs. Then again, Akaashi’s face likely did similar things more often than not when caught in the whirlwind that was Bokuto Koutaro. Not that Akaashi had ever almost married him.

 

         “Kuroo’s here!” Bokuto excitedly shouts, as if he wasn’t only a couple feet away.

         “I can see that,” he replies evenly. Kuroo’s chuckling as he cradles a squirming baby.

         “You get off nanny duty today. Awesome, right?” he’s saying as he walks over to his boyfriend to throw an arm around his shoulder. Bokuto leans in to blow a raspberry onto his daughter’s chubby cheeks. He then proceeds to do the same to his boyfriend. They share a disgustingly domestic moment.

        Shizume makes fake gagging sounds and Bokuto leaps back towards her to defend himself. They argue with their usual high energy banter. They were, in some ways, too much alike for their own good. Akaashi can’t concentrate on any of that though. The whole scene is just… too much for him. His last day is already over. He has to get out of here.

         “Perfect,” he blurts, “I have things to do today.” His voice feels robotic. He really does have things to do, of course. He always has a lot of things to do. He always made time for Akira and Bokuto in the past, though. It isn’t a real excuse. He uses it anyway.

         “Guess it’s a good thing I came early then, huh?” Kuroo says with a smile as Akira sticks a hand in his mouth. “Oh, yeah, hi. Yep. I see you still there, Aki,” Kuroo assures the little girl around her hand. He lifts her up and she starts to protest until he tosses her up in the air and catches her. She’s instantly all giggles. Kuroo looks perfect with her. It feels like a touch of destiny that all the odd circumstances stacked up to end him here, holding a little girl who will probably call him daddy and Bokuto papa. He runs kisses over her cheeks when he catches her and she is all bubbling laughter.

        Akaashi looks to Bokuto, who can’t look away from the scene of his baby and his boyfriend. He watches Bokuto pull his lip between his teeth and bite down in a vain attempt to stop his grin from being too ridiculous, but it’s in his eyes too clearly. Bokuto is completely in love. Kuroo passes Akira over and the whole scene hits Akaashi at once.

        They’re a perfect little family now. He’d helped make it.

        He can’t bring himself to stay even a reasonably polite amount of time so he quickly says his goodbyes. He has to leave. They barely notice his quiet goodbye over the craziness swirling around Bokuto’s apartment and Akaashi is thankful. It’s for the best. He’ll just disappear for a few days.

 

        Days turn into weeks and Akaashi ignores the pang in his heart when he heads home after class, instead of to Bokuto’s apartment on Thursday afternoons. More unsettling, he misses just being a part of their little romance. He misses being a third wheel on a skype date. He misses texting Kuroo for back up when Bokuto had to be talked down from renting a bouncy house for an infant or some other flight of fancy. He misses both of their praise at how well he can sooth a teething little hellion. He misses all of it. It's all the more reason he has to give them time to get used to being a family on their own. More importantly, it's all the more reason he has to give himself time to remember he's not a part of it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slapping his problems away didn't work, so let's try running from them. That'll do it!
> 
>  **Next Chapter:** _A Midnight Conversation_ , in which the conversation actually takes place at 3am.


	6. A Midnight Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you say some stuff at 3am, because it's 3am.....

        Akaashi’s internal clock protests as he pulls himself out of his dream. It feels important to remember it, but it’s already fading by the time his head clears enough to realize it isn’t his alarm going off at all, but his phone ringing.

        His internal clock is right to be upset. His phone reads 3am.

        He knows it's Bokuto without having to be fully awake. Who else would call him at this time? No one else would call him at all, honestly, other than his grandmother.

         “Mm,” he grumbles into the receiver, holding it a cautious distance from his ear in case there’s sirens. Better safe than sorry. He’s met with silence on the other side of the line instead. He shifts up onto his elbow, a bit more awake. “Bokuto?” His voice feels rough, but he clears his throat, a bit of worry growing at the lack of chaos on the other side of the line.

         “Hey hey,” Bokuto’s voice quietly cuts through the receiver. It is probably low so he doesn’t wake anyone up, but Akaashi thinks he hears telltale signs of a warble in his greeting. He lays back down on his side, receiver against his ear now.

         “Why are you awake?” he feels like a mother, but it comes out so naturally; calm with an edge of scolding.

         “I just—I needed someone to talk to,” Bokuto says. There is definitely a waver there. This isn’t the first late night call like this Akaashi has gotten, but it doesn’t feel right to get it anymore. He hums for him to go on and he does. “Am I a good—“

         “Yes.”

         “Akaaaaashiiii,” Bokuto quietly grumbles, “You didn’t even let me finish.”

         “You can worry over it for hours if you want and I’ll listen, but my answers going to be the same, so I figured I’d save us the trouble,” Akaashi replies. There’s a pause before a single laugh on the other side.

         “Not wasting any time tonight, huh?” he asks.

         “Not at this hour,” he replies matter of factly. He doesn’t mention that he doesn’t really mind. That he’s missed his voice and it’s a relief to hear it, even in the middle of the night. He thinks about it for a moment, his brain too foggy to quite remember why it would be a bad idea to tell him all that.

         “That’s fair…” Bokuto admits, “Will you listen anyway?” And Akaashi knows he would, he always has, but…

         “Isn’t Kuroo there?” he asks, sighing.

         “Oh… yeah, but he has work in the morning so I didn’t wanna wake him up, ya know?” he replies, so classically Bokuto. He’s trying to be thoughtful but only gets halfway through the thought.

         “You do know I have class in the morning too,” it’s a statement, not a question.

         “Oh yeah…” there’s a pause. “So--,”

         “Go ahead,” Akaashi interrupts, closing his eyes and letting the sound of Bokuto’s voice drown out the humidifier with one ear on the pillow and the other with the phone laid over it.

         “What if I’m not good enough for all this, like, you know, Kuroo and Akira and everything?” he asks. Akaashi waits fot him go on, knowing there’s more. “I know you keep telling me I’m doing the dad thing good and Kuroo keeps telling me I’m doing the boyfriend thing okay, but that was long distance and now I gotta do it like... while doing the dad thing. I have to do both of them. What if it doesn’t… feel like I’m doing them right? How do I know I can do both of them?”

         “You can,” Akaashi says.

         “Are you sure?”

         “Yep.”

         “How?”

         “Because you’re probably the closest I got to really dating someone and you did a fine job at it while dadding, so I’m sure you’ll do fine with Kuroo and Akira.”

         “How have you never dated anyone?” Bokuto is suddenly too loud in his ear. Akaashi reluctantly pulls a hand up to lift the phone away.

         “How did you not know that?” he asks, feeling his brows knit in confusion.

         “I don’t know. I figured you were just… private about it,” he replies, sounding a bit sheepish.

         “I was either studying or being dragged around by you,” he reminds Bokuto because it was true. Akaashi never really had much free time, and what he did have was spent with Bokuto, generally.

         “I mean… yeah I guess. There was that year I wasn’t around though!” There’s a pause, “Why’d you never date?” He sounds so genuinely confused.

         “I just… was never really interested in dating…” his voice sounds like the shrug he would have given if he wasn’t lying down.

         “At all?” Bokuto sounds skeptical.

         “Not in general,” he replies, evenly.

         “Wait… so does that mean you like didn’t wanna get laid?” finally the real Bokuto questions come out.

         “I didn’t say I was asexual…” he replies, rolling his eyes whether Bokuto could see it or not.

         “Are you?” he asks, surprisingly sedated. It makes Akaashi stop and think on the question.

         “No. Not really.” He’s… well, he doesn’t actually know. He feels like someone once describe demisexual to him and that hadn't felt wrong. Probably something on that spectrum, at least. He’s never put aside the time for an in depth introspection on the subject. He also considers that maybe he just doesn’t have as strong an identity as other people. That was probably just him dismissing his feelings though, avoiding the question of what he is attracted to and why.... Either way, he should have known it was too noncommittal of a response to not get follow up questions.

         “So, _have_ you ever gotten laid?”

         “Good night Bokuto.”

         “No! Really! Aahhhh! Akaashiiiiii! You can’t just leave me with a mystery like that!” he cries over the receiver, his voice strained as he tries to keep it a whisper, despite his volume.

         “Good night Bokuto.”

         “Akaaaaashiiiiii,” he wails. “You’re messing with me aren’t you. You totally have and you’re just messing with me.”

        Silence.

         “Ah! Fine! Good night.”

         “Sleep well.”

         “You too, man... Thanks.”

        “Mm,” he hums back. He barely gets the phone back to the night stand before he’s drifting back to sleep. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thinks he should probably remember this. It’s about at the same priority as thinking he should probably reach down and get the charger cable to reconnect his phone. He doesn’t make any effort to do either.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who do you think wakes up in a cold sweat the next morning like, "Wait that didn't _really_ happen right?!" ???
> 
>  **Next Chapter:** _Filling Holes_ , in which a kitchen table is used as a medium for telepathy.


	7. Filling Holes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ;D

        It’s been three weeks since Kuroo got his transfer and started living with his boyfriend. The first week was all excitement and making up for the long distance. They could barely be pried apart and that was A-okay with Kuroo. The second week had been more realistic settling. Boxes were unpacked, closet space was rearranged, they realized they had way too many novelty mugs combined. All the actual move in things were done, or at least started.

        It’s the third week now and something has crept into Bokuto’s head to get him worrying. He’s not very subtle about it, but Kuroo is fairly certain he doesn’t know he’s doing it all the same. He’s tossing his body weight around like he’s made of lead. Every time he sits down it’s with a ‘thud’, every time he gets up it’s like he’s lifting his own dead weight.

        It’s not constant. He’s excited whenever he spots Kuroo, or Kuroo shows him any attention. He’s still perky around Akira and his usual boisterous self in public. Akaashi probably would have noticed two weeks ago, but he’s been busy, and they’ve seen him all of once after the day Kuroo moved in. Either way, Kuroo is determined to do the missing man’s duties and nip Bokuto’s depression in the bud.

        He checks his phone as if Akaashi will feel his need and text him how to fix everything without prompting. Seeing Akaashi more often was supposed to be one of the perks of moving in with Bokuto, but he only gets text banter and even that has been scarce. He’s found himself checking his phone just to see if Akaashi had replied to his witty comments yet far too often for anyone but a love struck teen waiting for their crush to text back.

        Akaashi, unfortunately, hasn’t texted him with unsolicited but greatly needed advice this time. He’s slacking on his clairvoyance duties. Kuroo will have to tackle this one on his own.

 

         “Bo!” Kuroo says, bursting into the kitchen. Bokuto literally jumps out of his slump, and his chair.

         “What’s up?” he asks, in a moment excited for whatever it is Kuroo has in mind. He doesn’t even wait to find out what it is. He’s ready. Kuroo grins, but then sticks his hands in his pockets and strolls over to the kitchen table more casually.

         “Nothing. Nothing, dude. Sorry,” he sits down and Bokuto follows suit. “You just seem real serious lately. Wassup?” he gets straight to the point. There’s no use beating around the bush with Bokuto. Bokuto puts on a serious face.

         “You know I’m never serious, bro,” he replies easily. Kuroo rolls his eyes and waits for Bokuto to give a real answer. It doesn’t take long. “Uhhhg,” he flops his arms and face over onto the table, “I don’t knooooow” he informs. “I’m just feeling like something’s off and I’m afraid it’s me.”

         “What do ya mean?” Kuroo leans his head down to lay it on the table next to Bokuto’s, so he can look him in the eye if he ever decides to open his.

         “I mean, I feel ooooffffff,” he groans. Kuroo again gives him a few moments. He knows Bokuto sometimes needs extra time to collect his thoughts into word form after he starts talking. He usually works off instinct so stopping and actually communicating verbally isn’t always the easiest for him.

         “I feel like everything’s nice and stuff but sometimes it’s still not quite right,” he opens his eyes to look at Kuroo’s and his brow loosens a little. He’s better able to think with his boyfriend also laying his head stupidly on the kitchen table with him, as if the wood would help conduct their thoughts. “Like, back after college, when you moved away for work, things were going okay, there were a lot of good things going on, but like, there was this part that wasn’t there,” he lets Kuroo’s hand find his and twines their fingers together. His shoulders relax and he lays limply over the table now.

         “Yeah?” Kuroo says, pressing him forward with a squeeze of the hand.

         “Yeah, well, I didn’t know what it was, I mean, exactly, it was like there was this hole, but I couldn’t see it, until you came back, and I saw you and you were so fucking handsome and it kinda just opened up and it was so obvious that you were missing. Right? Like ‘wow! How did I miss that!’ you know?” he asks. Kuroo shifts up onto his elbows to lean over and kiss Bokuto’s cheek.

         “Of course,” he agrees.

         “So… now I kinda feel like there’s that hole again and I don’t know what I’m missing this time.” Bokuto pushes up on his hands suddenly, almost knocking into Kuroo as he does, “I don’t mean I’m not super happy you’re here and like you don’t fill my hole, bro,” he says so sincerely Kuroo almost feels guilty about his immature snickering.

         “I’m always here to fill your hole, Bo,” he assures. He’s met with a flutter of eyelashes and a hard punch to his shoulder.

         “You know what I mean!” There’s a pause, “But I do appreciate that too, you know.” Kuroo just smirks and Bokuto does too, but it fades back a bit. “You know I’m happy you’re here though, right? I don’t mean I’m not…” Kuroo leans forward to place a soft smooch on his boyfriend, who was absolutely too perfectly sincere to be doubted.

         “I know,” he assures, their fingers still intertwined. “I love you, and you fill my holes just right too,” he says, and Bokuto snickers at the sincere tone mixing with the innuendo. “It does feel strange _actually_ living together,” he admits. Before Bokuto can pout he adds in, “Not bad strange! But it’s weird to see you all the time and it just be you and me every time,” he chuckles, “Maybe I’m just worried we’re gonna get into trouble without Akaashi here to buffer us.”

        Bokuto looks stricken for a moment.

         “Kuroo! I miss Akaashi!” he blurts.

         “Yeah… me too. I was expecting to see him a lot more after I moved out here,” Kuroo admits, nodding. He really did. Akaashi finished off their trio so nicely, like the underlying umami that gives a dish balance.

         “No! Like… hole in my heart sorta miss Akaashi!” Bokuto looks almost horrified. His hand is squeezing Kuroo’s painfully tight. Kuroo has to think about that for a moment. It really has felt like something was missing. All his checking his phone for replies, all his waiting for Akaashi to just show up for dinner. He'd been waiting for things to settle into place just like Bokuto, but they'd both been trying to settle on an unfinished foundation.

         “Yeah… me too,” he says again, slower this time, really thinking about it. Bokuto’s hand loosens.

         “Really?” Bokuto blinks owlishly at him, not quite ready to be relieved yet.

         “Yeah. Really,” Kuroo nods, and it’s true. He’d gotten used to Akaashi’s face always on those skype chats and Akaashi unintentionally chaperoning on all their dates. He’d just always taken Akaashi and Bokuto as a package deal. It isn’t right with them apart. He resists the urge to check if that sarcastic comeback has finally popped up from Akaashi.

         “Oh good.” Bokuto’s back on the table, this time flopped over with relief. “I’d feel like an asshole if I felt like this alone.” He smiles up at Kuroo with such a beautiful grin, Kuroo realizes what the problem has been. It’s easy to know you’re in love with Bokuto. Bokuto’s loud and bright and flashy. You can’t miss anything to do with Bokuto, least of all your feelings. Akaashi, though, is quiet and calm. It’s easy to not recognize how important he is until he just isn’t there. Kuroo feels a pang of guilt at the realization.

         “Let’s invite him over for dinner,” Bokuto suggests, light enough that it doesn't let Kuroo longer, instead he smiles back.

         “We’ll ask him if he wants to fill our holes,” he snickers. Bokuto is offended in Akaashi’s place, for a moment, but then he’s snickering too.

         “I don’t know if he'd even be into all that,” Bokuto says after he’s done giggling.

         “Not into filling holes?” Kuroo asks, curious. He’s never really been able to imagine Akaashi _with_ someone. Maybe on some subconscious level he just didn’t like the idea of Akaashi leaving their little trio, though. It was hard to assess these things clearly before he’s done a full retrospective of his feelings after this revelation.

         “No, I mean, he said he’s not-oh my god! Kuroo!” Bokuto shoots up, staring wild eyed at his boyfriend. Kuroo is bolt upright immediately as well, Bokuto’s energy infections.

         “What?!” he blurts back.

         “I called Akaashi the other night, like, at 3 in the morning!” he replies.

         “Why?”

         “Because of what I’m telling you, but I didn’t know that yet!”

         “Okay… so…?” He waits.

         “He totally said that I was a good boyfriend because I was like the closest thing he’s done to dating and I don’t know if he’s a virgin!”

         “Wow… how do you forget a conversation like that, bro?”

         “I don’t know! It was 3 in the morning! I was tired and panicking!” he whines.

         “Okay… okay,” Kuroo thinks on this new information, “So dinner.”

         “Dinner.” Bokuto nods.

         “Okay.” Kuroo nods back.

         “And tell him about our holes,” Bokuto suggests in all seriousness.

         “Maybe not on the first date,” he replies.

         “Bro! Our heart holes you perv!” Bokuto says, punching him in the shoulder.

        Kuroo snickers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This couldn't possibly go wrong, right?
> 
>  **Next Chapter:** _A Push_ , in which Akaashi learns that sometimes you need to text with your crush's ex girlfriend/baby mama to get perspective.


	8. A Push

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi's just _trying_ to mind his own business and live peacefully in denial, but everyone's gotta keep texting him! Rude.

        Akaashi has decided he has to stop even texting Kuroo and Bokuto. He can’t get involved with the household, not until things have… cooled down. He is reeling at the bluntness of his 3 am words, still, a week later. It’s hard to deny his thoughts after they’ve been verbalized. Now he’s stuck with the fact that Bokuto Koutarou is the closest thing to a boyfriend he’s ever had. And that without even a kiss, he honestly thinks he’s made a good boyfriend. That would all be well and good if he hadn’t brokered the relationship he’s currently in and he didn’t honestly think Bokuto and Kuroo were perfect together. He does, though. So, these thoughts are all entirely out of line.

        It’s the fourth week he hasn’t been there to hold Akira and be the first to welcome her into the house. It’s not his house. His heart aches all the same to think he wouldn’t be doing it ever again. It hurt to feel it end. It’s a dull ache that reminds him of second year, when the third years graduated, way back in high school. It wasn’t the last time he’d see Bokuto, it wasn’t a complete ending, but a chapter was over and the loss stung. This one stings worse.

        He’s focusing on his school work with renewed diligence. His grades hadn’t been bad while he was playing house, but, well, it never hurt to move that A to an A+… security is nice.

        He’s up to his eyeballs in scholarly articles when his phone chimes. He’s surprised to see it’s Suzume.

****

         ** _u managing grad school OK?_**

         ** _Havnt seen u n a while._**

 

        Akaashi almost forgot Suzume had been his friend before Bokuto’s. They were in a study group together. It’s odd to think, in a sense, he’s the cause of all of this. Bokuto would probably have something grand to say about destiny regarding that. Akaashi just unlocks his phone.

****

         ** _I’m okay. Thank you for asking. School is going well._**

 

        Akaashi considers for a moment before making a partially candid addition.

****

         ** _I am trying to give Bokuto and Kuroo some time to acclimatize to their new living arrangements. I feel they might need some alone time._**

 

        Akaashi is surprised at how quick the response comes.

****

         ** _HA_**

         ** _Srsly tho I kno ur busy and all. Keep an eye on them. I OKed my bb girl to a package deal._**

**_U cant back out_ **

 

        Akaashi chuckles.

****

         ** _I am certain Bokuto will do fine._**

         ** _…_**

         ** _Kuroo will help. He’s sensible._**

 

        The replies came in barely not cutting into Akaashi’s texts.

****

         ** _Bokuto’s a walnut_**

         ** _Kuroo’s a walnut 2_**

         ** _They r 2 walnuts._**

 

        Akaashi can’t argue.

****

         ** _I’ll make time, for Akira’s sake._**

         ** _Good_**

 

        Akaashi sighs and puts down the phone. He’ll deal with it in due time. He really plans to. Just… not right now.

 

        Unfortunately, Bokuto has other plans for how soon he will be dealing with things. He gets a text asking him over that sunday. It’s a strangely official feeling text, with a date and time and polite request. Bokuto’s invites were usually statements of general free time with the assumption that Akaashi would know to show up. He can’t really say no, though, after his promise to Suzume. He needs to straighten himself out and cloistering himself away for weeks hasn’t done it, so maybe facing his troubles head on will.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He'll do it for Akira! That's the _only_ reason! He swears!
> 
>  **Next Chapter:** _Battle Plans_ , in which two walnuts try to design the perfect plan of seduction.


	9. Battle Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So they invited Akaashi over. Now to figure out how they, two humble walnuts, can possibly convince him to date them???

        It takes a half an hour for him to craft the text, but Bokuto is beaming proudly at the one word reply to the longest text he’d ever sent in his life.

 

        **Sure.**

 

        He relays the affirmative to Kuroo in the kitchen, who smiles back at him. He feels like everything's falling in place so easily, and this time he doesn’t even need to almost have a shotgun wedding to make it happen.

         “So how are we doing this?” Kuroo asks. He looks at his boyfriend, who is clearly confused by the question.

         “What? Like what are we making for dinner? I don’t know, we’ll go get some good meat and--,” Bokuto starts, knowing he’ll have to buy so much that Akaashi won’t even have to worry about leaving some for the rest of them. He’d take him to an ‘all you can eat’ buffet if that didn’t seem tacky. He’d appreciate it, but it isn’t romantic. A home cooked meal is romantic. His musings are cut off by Kuroo waving his hand.

         “No, not that, I mean, how are we gonna woo him?” he asks. Bokuto is right back to confused.

         “Woo?” he asks, tilting his head in an owlish manner.

         “Like, how are we gonna do this? Make this work,” Kuroo asks, bringing dinner over and tossing his apron aside. Bokuto is temporarily blinded by the food. The question doesn’t even register until he’s had a bite and made some unnecessary sounds.

         “Make what work?” he finally asks around his second bite.

         “Akaashi,” Kuroo says, laughing and sitting down.

         “He’s super clingy and doesn’t take up much space, so he’ll fit in the bed,” Bokuto replies, completely serious. He looks about ready to go on about bringing Akaashi directly into their household, and Kuroo has to smile at his optimism. He interrupts him before he gets too much further though.

         “Well, that’s good to know, but I think we have to take a step back first,” he suggests. “How are we going to ask him to date us?”

         “Oh!” Bokuto says and chews on his food for a bit in thought. “I think first of all we have to have enough food that he can’t possibly be grumpy. We shouldn’t ask a grumpy Akaashi to date us. We need happy, sated Akaashi. He agrees to bad ideas a lot better after a good meal,” he explains.

         “Hey! Are you saying dating us is a bad idea?” Kuroo asks, hand to his chest in mock offense. Bokuto blinks.

         “What? No! I mean crazy ideas! You know what I mean,” Bokuto insists, scowling.

         “Objectively crazy. I’ll give you that,” he replies, nodding and laughing a little. They eat a little before Kuroo asks, “What do we actually _say_ to him, though, to sell him on it?”

         “Uhhhhhhhhhhm…..” Bokuto stalls for time with the world’s longest ‘uhm’, and Kuroo watches amused. “We’ll wing it!” he announces finally. Kuroo raises an eyebrow.

         “Wing it?” he asks.

         “Yeah! It should be from our hearts anyway, right? You can’t plan a heartfelt confession! Or… well maybe Akaashi could, but, see, we can’t ask Akaashi for help in seducing Akaashi!” Bokuto says, seeming legitimately upset by this.

         “Yeah, we’re kinda doomed without Akaashi’s help,” he agrees.

         “Yeah…” Bokuto pauses.

         “So, we wing it!” Kuroo restates.

         “Wing it!” he shouts back.

         “From our hearts!” he agrees with equal enthusiasm.

         “Wing it, from our hearts,” Bokuto summarizes.

         “Ask him to fill our holes,” Kuroo says with a smirk.

        "Wait do we even know if Akaashi tops?" Bokuto asks, jumping into the future again in earnest.

        "Our heart holes, bro,” Kuroo clarifies.

        "Yeah but the implication..." he says.

        Their useless planning session over with, they focus on the more important things, like what they would be cooking. They agree that this will be the real deciding factor, anyway. When that is done,  they move on to the second most important thing, what they’ll wear. Their own confession had taught them the power of a good outfit choice.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sounds like they totally got this, right?
> 
>  
> 
> **Next Chapter:**  
>  _Making Dinner into a Date _, in which they wing it.__


	10. Making Dinner into a Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, _you_ seduce him, then _I'll_ seduce him, then _we'll_ seduce him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW!! Been a crazy few weeks. But here's some silliness for you all!

        Between shopping, cooking, and beautifying, Kuroo and Bokuto spend the entire day getting ready for their dinner with Akaashi. It’s a lot more effort than they ever put into wooing anyone before. They hadn’t even put this much thought into winning each other’s heart, though admittedly that was because Akaashi had done the hard thinking for them. It was time to return the favor. Cumulatively, they figure they have about the thoughtfulness and cunning of Akaashi.... Well, they might be half the thoughtfulness and cunning of Akaashi together.

        Kuroo tugs his shirt. He’s never felt so self conscious picking out an outfit, but he’s never had to worry about whether it could beguile someone as perceptive as Akaashi before. It can’t be too flashy or else he’ll instantly pick up on the seduction attempts and they’ll lose their advantage. Too casual, though, and there’s no impact, no wow factor. The two of them need to be just enough above average so as to subtly impress him on a subconscious level, saying ‘look, you wouldn’t even have to pretend not to know us in public’.

        Kuroo nods at himself in the mirror, he's wearing a well fitted, black button up that's unbuttoned just one button more than necessary, and his best pair of dark wash jeans. It's simple, but everything fits perfectly. He tries a smirk at himself in the mirror, but the look doesn't feel complete. Maybe an accessory would help. Rolling up his sleeves neatly he considers a watch or bracelet to finish the outfit. He glances over to Bokuto to see how his boyfriend is fairing at the task at hand. He stares at the results. Bokuto finally looks up when he feels Kuroo’s eyes weighing on him.

         “I couldn't decide which shirt is best because I look good in all of them,” Bokuto explains, pulling the collar of the second shirt out of the third, and the third to rest over the jacket “So, I just put on all four. That like, quadruples our chances, right?” he asks, looking unsure for just a moment before he flashes a smile, deciding that confidence was the answer.

        Kuroo’s hand goes to his chest, unable to stop himself. His boyfriend was so precious and can make anything look so. damn. good. “God, yeah, babe. I am, like, 99% sure it does,” he agrees. Bokuto’s smile broadens and he rolls his shoulders truly feeling the confidence now. Kuroo kisses him because he has no option. He’s too handsome _not_ to kiss, and maybe the four shirt thing will work on Akaashi as well as it did just now on him.

 

        Akaashi shows up at exactly 7, because when food is involved he’s never late. He knows better than to leave any meal at Bokuto’s mercy. Akaashi might be able to eat his body weight in meat, but Bokuto will inhale anything and everything he can get his hands on if no one keeps an eye on him.

        When the door opens he doesn’t both with pleasantries because the smell of roasting meats and vegetables hits him hard and practically drags him into the kitchen. At least, he tries to get to the kitchen. Bokuto and Kuroo both catch an arm and nearly pick him up as they pull him away. They lead him to the table they had set up for dinner. There’s a tablecloth... Akaashi narrows his eyes and finally really looks at the two of them.

         “Why are you wearing four shirts?” he asks. Bokuto catching his attention first, because he was Bokuto.

         “Do you like them?” he replies with a grin.

         “They’re very nice,” he replies indulgently. They are nice, but he can’t help but notice the triumphant look shot to Kuroo. He wonders if Kuroo had told him he only needed two of the four and Akaashi had just won him an argument. He takes a moment to look at Kuroo. Then he keeps looking at Kuroo. Next to all of Bokuto he looks subdued, but upon closer inspection…

         “Why can’t I see what you’re cooking?” he asks, changing the subject. He came here to act normal and make things normal, not to oogle his crush’s boyfriend.

        Akaashi is sure his face sours when he realizes he’s used the word ‘crush’, even if only in his head, because he is _not_ referring to Bokuto as his **_crush_** now.

         “Ahhh, don’t be mad, Akaaaashiiii,” Bokuto misinterprets the look. “We’re almost done. You just sit back and relax!” He pushes him to a seat as he hustles back to the kitchen, a few bounding steps away. He watches to catch a glimpse of what they’re cooking that he can’t already pick out by scent.

        Akaashi’s attention hooks on the pair in the kitchen instead, as Kuroo slips an apron on. It’s black and sleek and somehow only adds to his current ensamble. He is, honestly, unfairly handsome sometimes, and the chef look is definitely one of those times. Kuroo turns and Bokuto ties the back without even having to be asked. Akaashi feels a odd pang of… not jealousy. He can’t imagine the scene without either of them, but a sense longing to be in the kitchen with the two of them. He hates that he’s avoided this for so long and in the same breath he knows this feeling is exactly why. They need time to be domestic like this. It’s so perfect he can’t break it up, even if they have always been a threesome in the past.

        Akaashi’s eyes shoot down to his hands on the table and away from the kitchen sharply. He _has_ to start picking his words better before he says one of them aloud. As it stands, he’s having a hard enough time keeping his composure just thinking them. When he peaks back up just to witness a playful peck on the cheek and hands snaking around hips he realizes dinner will have to be a surprise after all. He pulls up an article and ignores how horrible this website’s formatting is for cellphones. The article is dense and technical but that’s perfect to get his mind off things like ‘crushes’ and ‘threesomes’ and hands snaking slyly around waists.

        Dinner is fine. That's a lie, the food is delicious. It makes keeping his head down and answering all questions in mutters easy. It does  _not_ stop his friend’s from exchanging cute banter and feeding each other. Akaashi always having a mouthful of something at least stops Bokuto’s attempts to feed  <em>him</em> with an “oh, I guess you already tried that…” He looks so sad that he's denied the opportunity. Akaashi's warning senses start to tingle, but Kuroo is kind enough to take the bite instead so Bokuto can scold him.

        Akaashi’s gut tries to twist one direction as his heart twisted the other. Kuroo flawlessly performed a Bokuto emotional redirect. Like he’d flawlessly taken over baby transfers. Akaashi didn’t even have to finish chewing and think up a reason for Bokuto not to be upset. So, he stuffs his mouth fuller and decided to contemplate if Kuroo has always had cooking talent, or it was a more recent development. He could have sworn he burnt water back in their college days. He contemplates if maybe they work well as a team, keeping each other focused on meal preparation with their different focuses.

        It's during his quiet musings that Bokuto stands up.

         “Come help me with this,” he says suddenly. Kuroo has only the slightest dumbstruck pause before he stands up.

         “ 'Course babe,” he says, as if he could possibly know what Bokuto’s talking about before he’s dragged around the corner toward the pantry. Akaashi has every right to be suspicious, but this whole dinner is suspicious so he figures he might as well wait until they tell him what horrible trouble they’ve gotten themselves into. For the time being, he’ll enjoy the free, and very delicious, food they're bribing him with.

 

        "This isn't working," Bokuto barely whispers. He looks a little panicked and Kuroo reaches over to grip his shoulder.

         “It’s fine. We just haven’t hung out in a while,” he replies, though really he’s not sure. Akaashi looked very serious a moment ago, and an odd vibe has been coming off him since he showed up. He seems particularly clammed up, but Kuroo can’t get a read on why. He racks his brain for things Akaashi wouldn’t want to tell them. He’s failing college? Impossible. He’s pregnant! Only slightly less impossible. He’s _dying_? He’s too all business, he’d just tell them. Kuroo's out of ideas.

        "We should just try to seduce him,” Bokuto boldly proposes.

        "Right now? Together?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

        "No…” Bokuto says his face scrunching up into a thoughtful one, “No, that might overwhelm him.” True.

        "Okay…” Kuroo says, putting his hands up. “You seduce him first. Then I'll seduce him. Then WE'LL seduce him.”

        "Ooo,” Bokuto coos a bit too loudly, “Good plan.” They fist bump and then Bokuto strolls out from around the corner to go back to the table. Kuroo cleans a little in the kitchen, trying to stay as out of sight as possible.

 

        Bokuto slides into the seat next to Akaashi’s, which wasn’t his, but is now. He starts eating Kuroo’s dinner because that is also his now. He leans over towards Akaashi.

         “So…” he starts but loses his train of thought instantly when Akaashi actually stops eating to look at him. He wonders if Akaashi always had this gorgeous of eyes, or if he's just an idiot and never bother to gaze into them longingly before. He isn’t sure if they seem brighter or bluer or maybe it’s his eyebrows. He has nice eyebrows too.

         “So,” Akaashi prompts, breaking the long awkward silence Bokuto left for staring at him, “How has Akira been? I think Suzume is worried about you two, what did she call you,” Akaashi pauses beautifully and Bokuto wonders how he ever didn’t know he loved Akaashi. “Walnuts,” he finally comes up with, stabbing the air triumphantly remembering. “She called you two walnuts. I would have fought for your honor, but I couldn’t think of a counter argument,” he informs.

         “No, walnut is fine,” Bokuto determines when his brain is finally able to produce words. “I mean, full of protein, tough strong exterior, delicious?” he lists and nods certainly. Akaashi’s eyes flutter in surprise, but Bokuto is sure he catches a hint of a smile and he feels like his heart is going to explode. He wonders if it's because he hadn't been away from Akaashi for so long at once in years.

         “Delicious?” he asks skeptically. Bokuto nods enthusiastically.

         “Super delicious!” he assures. Akaashi snorts and turns back to his plates.

         “So, Akira is doing well?” he asks casually.

         “Oh yeah! She’s crawling up a storm! She's fully mobile! It’s terrifying!” he explains, laughing loudly. “I have to keep my eye on her or suddenly she’s across the room, SHOOOM!” he shoots his arm out like his daughter sprint-crawling across the playmat. “She’s going for stairs now too!” He grabs his chest dramatically. “I don’t know how Kuroo is so calm! I think she’s going to die every time she scootles down a step!” He laughs and looks back at Akaashi. He has a soft look on his face, it’s almost sad, but the smile looks sincere. It hits Bokuto’s right in his chest and he’s glad his hand is already ready to clench his shirt over his heart. He thinks maybe it’s actually his eyelashes, because he isn’t sure how he never noticed how long they are. It is all too much for him.

         “I need to pee!” he announces just as Akaashi is opening his mouth to say something. He stands up suddenly, startling Akaashi.

         “Uh, all right.” Akaashi nods slowly as Bokuto shoves out of his chair and bolts in the wrong direction. He’s done all he could before his heart explodes. He finds Kuroo on his phone leaning just around the corner.

         “Okay, you’re up,” he informs.

         “How’d it go?” Kuroo whispers back.

         “Watch out for his eyes,” Bokuto says in a serious tone, “He did a surprise attack. I got lost in them.”

         “Bro, you’ve known him for like 10 years, how did his eyes catch you off guard?" he asks with a slight chuckle. They clap their hands together and Bokuto squeezes for encouragement before letting him go around the corner and take his turn.

 

        Kuroo slides into his seat and smiles his lopsided grin at Akaashi. He’s about to say something when he looks down at his plate. “Did you eat all my meat?” he asks.

         “No, that was Bokuto,” Akaashi replies casually, reaching over to Bokuto’s plate to steal off of it. “To even things out,” he says as he sits back down with it. He proceeds to stuff it all in his mouth.

         “How is it even if Bokuto steals my food and you steal his? Don’t I just lose out then?” he asks. Akaashi shrugs instead of talking through a mouth full of food. “I thought you were more just than this Akaashi,” Kuroo scolds. When he gets a quirked eyebrow in response he sees an opportunity. “I think you owe me a bite,” he says. He opens his mouth and waits.

         “What. You want me to feed you?” he asks. Kuroo’s lips twitch up at the corners but he doesn't give up, waiting expectantly, mouth open.

         “Fine,” he says after a moment, reaching over to snag some more food off of Bokuto’s plate. He lifts it to Kuroo's mouth. Kuroo decides to make the most of the opportunity. He leans in as seductively as possible to take the bite, letting his lips slide over the chopsticks. He keeps eye contact, but he can tell Akaashi is watching his mouth, which works for him. He licks his lips and smirks, knowing, if nothing else, he has a good smirk. Akaashi’s eyes jump up to his sharply, the smirk jarring him back into reality.

         “Satisfied?” he asks, monotone. Kuroo was going to reply. He swears he had something witty to say, but instead he is caught watching the chopsticks pull back to Akaashi, as he mindlessly puts them in his mouth for a moment. There's a peak of tongue, a thoughtful purse of his lips before he decides what to steal next... Kuroo doesn’t know if it was intentional, but he’s starting to agree with Bokuto that this feels like a surprise attack.

         “Bo!” he calls suddenly, shifting away from Akaashi. Bokuto instantly pokes his head around the corner. “Bring the rest of the beef and veggies over and get another beer for Akaashi and me.” He excitedly nods and bounds over to graciously serves Akaashi. He opens his beer for him, hell he bats his eyelashes for good measure. It is too much, but Kuroo can’t help but be charmed all the same, so, he figures Akaashi might be as well.

         “So, how has school been? You’re almost done with your masters right?” Kuroo asks, feeling more confident again now that his boyfriend was at hand.

         “Almost. Finish this year, but it’s slowly draggin me through hell while it still has it's claws in me,” Akaashi informs bluntly, his expression grim but with that little glint of macabre humor that makes Kuroo grin.

         “That why I’ve only seen you twice since I moved out here?” he asks. He receives a vague grunt in return, but Akaashi has a new plate of food to scarf down, so he accepts it. “You living in that same place still? With the orange bathroom?”

         “God, no,” Akaashi says, his nose crinkling at the memory of his sad apartment situation during undergrad. He sighs, though, admitting his new place isn't much better. He vaguely describes the location, looking worried he might get a surprise visit if he's too specific.

         “It’s too far away,” Bokuto helpfully translates.

         “Sounds like you have to commute way too far,” Kuroo notes. “How did Bokuto end up with a nicer apartment _and_ in a better location?”

         “Because he’s had the same apartment since sophmore year and somehow charmed the landlady into never raising his rent,” Akaashi explains, “But you’re right, we should clearly trade places. You two can take my studio.”

         “Or you could just stay over here more often. I’m sure Bo wouldn’t mind,” Kuroo suggests, letting a smarmy smile pull over his lips. Bokuto’s eyes widen.

         “Yeah! I wouldn’t mind! We could all cuddle up,” he coos. Akaashi’s snorts, focusing on the remnants of his food, but Kuroo thinks he sees a hint of red on his cheeks. A good sign.

         “I’d be nice. I was looking forward to getting to spend time with you when I moved out here. I thought we’d get much closer,” he said, shifting in and casually dropping his voice to something a little more seductive, or at least he hoped it was seductive. It worked on Bokuto, but that might be setting the bar too low.

         “Yeah! We’ll make a date night of it!” Bokuto announces brazenly. “Or maybe you and Kuroo could just have a date night and then we could,” he adds on thoughtfully. “Doesn’t that sound awesome?” His enthusiasm is palpable.

         “Sure,” Akaashi replies slowly. Bokuto’s eyes light up and he stands up suddenly as if too excited to control himself.

         "I have to go to the bathroom,” he says, ignoring Akaashi noting that he just went. He stares at Kuroo intently.

         “Ah, well, look at that, I have to check on something,” he says vaguely standing as well. He’s practically dragged out of the room.

        In the bathroom, Bokuto is instantly whispering excitedly, “Dude, how do you think that went? Do you think he’s into us? He did agree to a date, right?” Kuroo chuckles.

         “Yeah, I think he’s starting to understand,” Kuroo says nodding.

 

        Akaashi does not understand what’s going on. It’s clear the two of them want _something_ from him. They were being bizarrely clandestine about the whole affair though, and he’s starting to lose his patience, or more so his composure. They couldn’t know what they were doing to him with all their jokes and teasing. He was still working to get the imagine of being snuggled up between the two of them out of his head. He knows he promised Suzume he’d try, but god they were making it a difficult trial for him.

        And now they’re whispering loudly from the bathroom. He sighs and stands up, ready to put an end to this, now that he had stuffed himself on the bribery food. He walks directly over and shoves the door open hard just for dramatic effect.

         “What the hell is going on?” he asks, sternly and simply. They both start, jumping around and looking guilty. Bokuto recovers first.

         “We’re seducing you," he blurts.

         “Okay…” Akaashi agrees and waits for the punchline. The two conspirators exchange glances.

         “Well did it work?” Bokuto looks so honestly curious it's hard for Akaashi to even answer. If he was being honest, and if they actually _had_ been trying to seduce him? It had been horribly confused and a mess. They were idiots and... it was really cute and he misses this. He misses them being goofs and dragging him along into it. He misses it all. He still doesn’t have an answer though. He knows he can't let himself get dragged back in. Not with how things are now.

         “I don’t know what you guys are trying to get out of me with all this bribery. Don’t think I’m just going to agree before you’ve told me what you want." He puts on his best scolding face, hoping that one of them will break.

         “We want you to fill our holes,” Kuroo replies. Akaashi stares, somehow even more at a loss than before. He opens his mouth but nothing immediately comes out. He can feel his brow furrowing as he tries to work out the joke.

         “Our heart holes!” Bokuto cuts in, elbowing Kuroo sharply in the gut. Kuroo 'oof's but looks unapologetic.

         “Well, yeah that too,” he agrees with a slight shrug. Akaashi is still helpless, staring at the two of them.

         “What are you talking about?” he tries yet again.

         “I’m saying we should date!” Bokuto says, beaming at him like the goddamn sun.

         "Are you upset we haven't had time to hang out recently?" he works out.

         "No. Well, actually yes, but that's not what I mean. I mean we should _date_ date. Like this was to ask you out," he clarifies. Akaashi wonders if they'd had a few drinks before he'd arrived because he can't follow.

         “You _have_ a _boyfriend_ ,” Akaashi reminds pointedly, gesturing to Kuroo just as sharply as he spoke. He didn't know what else to say. He shouldn't even have to say that.

         “No I mean _WE_ should date,” he says gesturing broadly between the three of them. That’s when it finally dawns on him, watching Kuroo nod, and seeing the bright, ridiculous enthusiasm sparkling in Bokuto’s eyes. That’s when he realizes Bokuto _means_ it exactly like it shoulds.

         “Oh my god…” he says, at a loss for better words. He tries to slot all this into reality but he's having a hard time with it. “Did you guys even know I was gay?” he asks the only reasonable question that has manages to filter down from his brain to his mouth.

        They exchange a look.

         “We… didn’t think… about that,” Kuroo slowly admits.

         “Are you gay?” Bokuto asks.

         “Yes,” he nearly shouts, “but that’s not the point.” This all feels impossible. This _is_ impossible. He feels like he might be mad or upset, but really he’s just overwhelmed. He’s still processing.

         “Well, that’s what this pre-date was all about,” Kuroo says, encouragingly, “So… date-date?” They both stare at him.

         “I don’t know…” he says, feeling trapped. He feels like he’s getting in the way in the exact way he was supposed to avoid. This is what he'd ignored texts and banished himself from the household for. This is the one thing he's been trying not to want for weeks, probably years. Hell, probably a decade. Here it is, though, being offered to him freely.

        "Just give it a chance!” Bokuto pleads, seeing the struggle in Akaashi's increasingly tense posture, “We'll drop it if it gets weird! I promise."

        "This is already weird..." he mutters, but he's so weak… “I guess so,” Akaashi says a little louder, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat. He tried to stay out of this, he tried not to get involved, but he should have known better. Bokuto and Kuroo never take the predictable route. Bokuto cheers, Kuroo smiles, and Akaashi knows if he falls in any further tonight, he is never getting home, not with the two of them looking at him like that.

        “Next week…” he clarifies. The look on Bokuto’s face just solidifies that he has to go, has to escape. They make plans hastily and he rushes out the door. He doesn’t stop power walking until he’s on the train home. His heart is still pounding in his chest, making him feel like he sprinted the whole way there.

        He has a _date_. And for once in his life, he wants it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was the quadruple shirt look that did it. Ultimate secrets of seduction.  
>  
> 
> **Next Chapter:** _Going Out_ , in which they get distracted by volleyball, because of course they do.


	11. Going Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A right proper date!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay. I've been distracted with a lot of crazy stuff going on. Sorry!! onz  
> Please enjoy these dorks on a date!

Bokuto has a lot of date ideas. A lot. And they are all ridiculous. From theme parks to far off romantic getaways, all of them were implausible to put it lightly. He’s dreaming big, which is cute, but not helpful. Kuroo works to slowly reel him back in. It's a first date after all, or second depending on how they count last week’s dinner. He decides on ‘date 1.5’ as he gently vetoes one ridiculous idea after another.

        Before Bokuto can get too far into a whimsical description of another ideal date, Kuroo stops him. “That.”

        Bokuto is clearly already 3 or 4 ideas ahead of what’s making it out of his mouth and looks lost. It takes him a long moment to even remember what it was he was saying the moment before.

         “What, like a four star restaurant and a romantic walk on the beach?”

         “More casual,” Kuroo urges gently but eagerly. “He’s feeling skittish. We want to let him know it'll be like just hanging out with us… except better! Because-”

         “Because we can hold hands!” he cuts in.

        Kuroo stares a moment, caught off guard by the utter sunshine that was Bokuto Koutarou. He smiles softly. “Yeah Bo, I was gonna say maybe we could bang, but you’re right, third date.”

         “Tsssh, you’re getting way ahead of yourself.” Bokuto says, waving Kuroo off.

         “So were you,” Kuroo reminds. Bokuto’s cheeks inflate a little in a pout, but he doesn’t argue, “Casual. Chill. Let’s eeease him into it.” Kuroo makes a smooth hand gesture that his boyfriend instinctually mimics.

         “Hmm….” Bokuto frowns, seriously considering the advice. “Well, there's that place we went to when you came to town last winter that was really good. It's right by the park. You know, the one with the volleyball sandpits?”

        Kuroo's eyes lit up. “Yes. Food and then we can take a walk, maybe get a little out of the public eye…” He nods approvingly at the idea.

         “Think the nets will be up by now?” Bokuto asks, quick to be distracted by the idea of volleyball.

         “I would think so. Stop thinking with your balls, though. Food first,” Kuroo scolds.

         “Tssh! Fine! I guess it would be weird to have my balls hanging out on the table while we eat…” Bokuto nods.

         “Yeah, babe, that might be a little distracting,” Kuroo agrees snickering. After a moment Bokuto snickers back. “So, sushi and a walk in the park?”

         “Food and hand holding.” Bokuto nods resolutely. They fist bump and grin at each other. They are going to show Akaashi they were the best boyfriends ever.

 

        The day of the date arrives sooner than anybody involved is prepared for. The three meet at the restaurant and get a table. The place is crowded, making it a little loud, but that makes the three of them not stand out any more than Bokuto's rowdiness demands. Still, Akaashi seems a little stiff.

        Kuroo is glad he talked Bokuto down from fancier restaurants at least when he sees Akaashi relax a little as they settled into the meal. This is more _them_ then some silly upscale fru-fru place anyway. The food is good and filling and Akaashi looks happy. He smiles as his food comes out in a way that could almost make Kuroo jealous. It definitely makes him reach over to steal some.

        He's met his instant resistance. Akaashi's eyes are serious and he deflects the chopsticks with reflexes that haven't dulled since high school at all.

         “Ahhh, Akaashi, you're so quick!” Kuroo praises. “Too bad it was a distraction tactic.” He smirks. Akaashi’s eyes shoot to the side just in time to watch Bokuto’s chopsticks escape with the stolen food. He plops it in his mouth triumphantly.

         “You both owe me a bite now,” Akaashi informs.

         “But we only stole one. You'll be getting more than you lost. How is that fair?” Bokuto complains, knowing Kuroo would own up to the evil scheme and give up food first.

         “ _You_ ate my food. But he assisted, which is just as bad.” Bokuto sighs dramatically but hands over the food. They look expectantly to Kuroo.

         “Okay, okay,” Kuroo says, raising his hands up in defeat, but his smirk hasn’t slipped from his mouth. “But I wanted to try some of yours. How about I give you two,” he says, completing his end of the bargain right then as a show of good faith, “And I get a bite?”

        Akaashi considers this for a moment, then nods. He reaches down for a piece of his roll, but when he looks up he pauses. Kuroo is leaned over the table a little, mouth open and waiting for Akaashi to feed him.

         “Alright,” Akaashi still agrees, to his surprise. Kuroo commits, leaning further, closing his eyes, trying to look his best.

        After a moment he feels chopsticks in his mouth. They seem empty at first, but when Akaashi pulls them back Kuroo is left with a gob of wasabi on his tongue and nothing else. He feels his face scrunching up. Not being one to back down from a challenge, he accepts the hunk of wasabi as penance for dreaming too big too quick.

         “Pleeehhh,” he says, making a face more dramatic than need be. “Well, that clears up my nasal cavity, thanks,” he says sarcastically. Akaashi’s smile is small, devious, and completely charming, so it it’s worth it.

 

        They’re able to finish their meal keeping the air feeling natural after that. Kuroo and Bokuto manage to snag the check before Akaashi can. Kuroo plucks it up before the waiter even put it down on the table as Bokuto distracts Akaashi.

         “There's a really nice Park out here!” Bokuto announces.

        He starts explaining where they’re going next with enough enthusiasm that it’s no surprise that he’s practically dragging Akaashi out of the restaurant as soon as they’re done paying. He's been ramped up a little too high the whole dinner and it’s only growing more intense now that they’re out in the open. Kuroo works to balance the mood.

         “He's seen a park before, Bo,” he says with a calm little laugh, trailing behind. Bokuto ignores him. He bounds forward holding Akaashi’s hand, dragging him. Kuroo can’t quite read Akaashi’s face. He seems like he’s baring Bokuto’s enthusiasm well enough, but there’s something else, edging at the corners of his expression and he’s worried.

        Kuroo pulls his boyfriend aside when he’s finally stopped literally dragging Akaashi.

         “You gotta at least bring it down to am 11, man. You’re at like a 15,” he warns.

         “Ahhh, but Kuroo I’m exciiiited,” he whisper-wails back.

         “I know, I know. Me too,” Kuroo says, soothingly, “but we don’t want to smother him.” Bokuto pouts and promises to try, but the moment he sees his favorite path through the park, he’s off and pulling Akaashi along with him. Kuroo sighs and smiles. It was a lost cause from the beginning. He just continues to keep the mood a little calmer as best he can so as not to overwhelm their date.

 

        They’re only about half way through the walk before it’s interrupted. In a clearing in the middle of the park, fields are set up for various sports. It’s a nice day in spring so the gathering at the baseball diamond isn’t surprising, nor the game of soccer with water bottle marked goals on either side of a large field. What catches all of their eyes, though, and Bokuto’s the loudest, is the handful of people at the side of the large clearing playing at one of the two sand pits with volleyball nets strung across.

         “Oh, that’s why this is your favorite park,” Akaashi says, with a knowing look.

         “Last time we came the nets were down,” Kuroo explains the excitement with a little laugh.

         “Ah.” He nods, understanding. He looks back to the group playing volleyball. “I’m not really dressed for it…” he trails off, leaving an opening to be convinced anyway. Bokuto jumps on it.

         “It’s fine! We can just volley back and forth a little,” he insists.

         “We don’t have a ball with us,” Kuroo notes, half expecting Bokuto to produce one out of nowhere with how unflinching his excitement is.

         “I bet they could use a couple more players. They have an odd number,” Bokuto says, already starting over.

         “You can’t just barge into someone’s game,” Akaashi warns, but they follow anyway. Akaashi’s worry is for nothing, though, because as soon as Bokuto gets within earshot and greets the group, they are already asking if they want to join the game.

        Kuroo and Akaashi exchange looks before Kuroo shrugs. Akaashi starts taking off his ankle boots. Kuroo follows suit, toeing off his shoes, while Bokuto’s tennies had already gone flying to the side.

        Despite Akaashi’s suggestion they split up, the handful of people insist it’s fine, giving them one of their players to make the game four on four. Kuroo had been watching them as they walked over. The group isn’t bad, but it isn’t going to stand a chance against the three of them.

         “Really, we can send someone to you guys,” Kuroo tries one last time.

         “We’ll go easy on you, don’t worry,” a tall guy interrupts them from the other side. He probably has a few centimeters on Kuroo even and is smirking a little looking down that short distance. Kuroo looks to his dates.

         “Thoughtful of you,” Akaashi says evenly. At that Bokuto is beaming and shouting for them to get this game started. Kuroo smirks.

         “Alright.”

 

        It doesn’t take long for the group to realize their mistake. The three former volleyball players might be out of practice, but they fell into place together like a well oiled machine in no time. Kuroo almost forgot what a thrill it is to see the two owl alums play, and better yet, to play alongside them. It feels so right that he doesn’t even think to ‘go easy’ on the other side. Bokuto launches himself up for a vicious spike off Akaashi’s set and their opponents actually leap out of the way.

         “Holy hell,” the tall guy mutters.

         “Hahahaha, Amano, give it up,” shouts the guy they lent to the newcomers. He’s barely touched the ball, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He seems delighted to just watch his friends be destroyed.

         “Ahhh Fine!” Amano shouts back exasperated, “Okay one of you guys come over here. Big guy!” He calls for Bokuto. He beams back and ducks under the net, trading with another player.

        The game is a little closer after that, particularly since Akaashi and Kuroo are more willing to tone it down for the sake of the more casual players. Bokuto is a cheerfully sore loser when the game ends. More cheerful for all the praise he’s getting from his new teammates.

         “How do you spike like that, man?” Amano asks, still awed at his powerful spikes. Akaashi ‘tsk’, and Kuroo thinks it’s probably because he scuffed his nice jeans diving for the last spike. He’d made the save too; it’d been pretty impressive. Bokuto is flashier though.

        Bokuto turns from competitor to teacher in a moment. He is off on technique and training. The group, college students, are fawning over him in seconds. Akaashi and Kuroo retreat to find a fountain.

         “I would have brought some water if I’d known we’d end up playing,” Kuroo comments casually, pulling his shirt up and leaning down to wipe the sweat from his face. He wants to gush about how amazing it was to play with Akaashi, how he hasn’t lost his touch, how gorgeous his hands were when he was setting the ball because _god_ his fingers were long. Bokuto is shouting still, calling for Akaashis attention every few moments. It’s cute, but it’s a _lot._ So, instead he plays it cool.

         “I would have brought an extra pair of clothes,” Akaashi sighs back, pointedly looking at his own sweat soaked shirt rather than Kuroo. He pulls off the button up he’d already undone earlier and ties it around his waist, leaving him in a black tank top that has no right looking so good on him. Kuroo isn’t sure he remembered Akaashi’s shoulders always being so broad.

        They carry their shoes off to the side to dust the sand out from between their toes before putting them back on. The moment is quiet and Kuroo watches Akaashi bend over to tug on his boots. It wasn’t a bad view. A playfully lewd comment bubbles up in him.

        _Play it cool Tetsurō_ , he reminds himself.

        Akaashi stands up suddenly and their eyes catch immediately. He’s sure he’s been caught staring when Akaashi’s eyes narrow. Then he sighs and looks away. Kuroo blinks, shocked not to be scolded.

         “Look…” he starts, his tone surprisingly soft. Kuroo pauses wiggling his feet back into his shoes to listen. “You don’t have to do all this.”

         “Oh, no. Bokuto would have it no other way,” Kuroo insists, with a little laugh. He’s ready to explain the more extravagant date ideas. It doesn’t get the response he’s hoping for, Akaashi just turns to him even more serious than before.

         “I’m serious,” he says. He looks over to Bokuto then back at Kuroo. “I know he can be overbearing sometimes. He loves you though. You don’t have to do this all…” he trails off and motions to the park and himself in a vague gesture. Kuroo can feel his brow furrowing as he tries to decipher the words. He looks around and then back at Akaashi who just looks a little… sad.

        It hits Kuroo all at once when he realizes what Akaashi must have thought. He’d spent the night working so hard to counteract Bokuto’s _over_ enthusiasm, he hadn’t thought about the comparison.

         “He’ll get over it,” Akaashi is already going on, “And I promise I won’t completely disappear again. I’m sure it was just a shock to his system I was gone so he thought…” he trails off. Kuroo can see how much the suggestion hurts him by all the ways he doesn’t let Kuroo see his expression. He stops making eye contact, even turns his head away. Classic self-sacrificing Akaashi.

         “Ah,” Kuroo says, drawing his date’s attention back to him. “You think this is all about Bokuto.” He nods to himself thoughtfully. “Okay, I know what I have to do.” Before Akaashi can question it, he reaches over and grabs his chin, tipping his head up and pressing their lips together.

 

        Akaashi’s brain stutters.

        It’s not like he’s never kissed anyone before. Admittedly, there hasn’t been a _lot_ of kissing in his life thus far, but it’s more about _who_ he’s kissing. Or maybe it’s _how_ he’s being kissed. Kuroo’s lips press against his so solidly that there’s no room for uncertainty or a joke. His hand slips from its light grip on his chin, to the back of his head. He shamelessly follows the hand’s guidance as it tilts his head to let Kuroo kiss him deeper. He isn’t sure when he opened his mouth; hell, he barely realizes he’s kissing back until he’s in the midst of it. Tongue and teeth and fingers tightening in his hair.

        Somewhere in the _far_ far back of his head, it’s is screaming that they’re in a public place, but he hasn’t recovered enough from the emotional whiplash to heed common sense. Moments ago, he was trying to find the least heartbreaking way to excuse Kuroo from being dragged into an unwanted polyamorous relationship by his over enthusiastic boyfriend. He’d thought he had to say it right then before Kuroo pulled his shirt up again and Akaashi lost his train of thought. Now he’s being kissed within an inch of his life.

        Bokuto’s shouts sound hazy at first, but the second cuts through with the shock of Kuroo pulling away, leaving him dazed and trying to refocus on reality.

         “Akaaashiii!” Bokuto shouts, storming toward them. Amano and his buddies are stated it take them a moment before they even think to rush forward.

         “Woah, woahwoah, calm down buddy,” Amano says, reaching for him, but he’s brushed off. Bokuto is on a mission.

         “I look over to see if you guys are watching my amazing moves and instead I find you two making out?!” He shoves his way past the worried looking spectators in no time, stomping right up to the two of them. “I haven’t even gotten to kiss Akaashi yet!” he says, his voice dropping to a whine. Kuroo’s crooked smile slices across his face and he steps aside.

        Before Akaashi can even roll his eyes or assure their new friends that everything was OK, his face is grabbed again. Bokuto pulls him in so sharply Akaashi expects it to hurt, but it doesn’t. He stops just short of slamming their faces together to instead kiss him so softly Akaashi is startled. The juxtaposition of the firm hands on either side of his face and the gentle press of lips has Akaashi reeling. His hands go up over Bokuto’s to ground himself between the two very different sensations. He presses forward without thinking to try to solidify the kiss. It probably comes off as needy. But that is probably because it _is_ needy.

        Bokuto pulls back just enough to smile at him and Akaashi feels himself die a little on the inside, because for the first time he is allowed to take that smile at face value. He’s allowed to take that smile to mean anything he wants. And he wants it to mean everything.

         “You look good after we kiss you,” Bokuto notes.

         “We might just have to do it more often,” Kuroo suggests, leaning onto Bokuto’s shoulder, his grin still fixed and devious.

 

         “OH my god! You guys are just _gay!_ I thought he was going to like **punch** someone!” Amano’s relieved voice breaks the moment, panting from running over. They turn to finally face their audience. Amano looks like he’s aged a decade in the past minute and is only now starting to recover those years of his life.

         “Ah, sorry for the confusion,” Kuroo says cheerily.

         “So… everything’s cool though right? He wasn’t like… macking on your boyfriend or something?” he asks, reasonably confused at the whole turn of events.

         “It’s fine,” Akaashi assures, smoothly stepping around the other two. He snags up Bokuto’s shoes and offers them to him. “Make sure you get the sand off your feet. I don’t want to hear you complaining about it being in your socks on the way back,” he says.

        Kuroo snickers and Bokuto rolls his eyes but does as he’s told.

        As his dates tease and elbow each other like schoolboys while Bokuto tries to put his shoes back on, Akaashi moves around them. He steps up to Amano and the rest of the guys they’d played volleyball with.

         “Thanks for letting us join you. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to play,” he says. They look skeptical at this, but it’s true. “Good match.” He offers his hand and Amano takes it.

         “Uh, yeah, for sure,” he replies. “Bring your boyfriend...s?” he waits for a correction and when none is offered goes on, “bring ‘em back with you sometime. I feel like we still have a bit to learn.”

         “We’ll see you around,” he agrees. He nods his head politely before turning and gathering up his dates.

 

         “Akaashi, did you just agree we’re your boyfriends?” Bokuto asks when he returns from giving all their new friends high fives and promising to be back.

         “It was the simplest explanation for him,” Akaashi replies.

         “Don’t dodge the question,” Kuroo insists, leaning in.

         “Don’t get ahead of yourselves,” Akaashi says.

        The response is a coordinated attack. They flank him, pressing a kiss to each cheek. He purses his lips, but _he_ doesn’t even believe it. It’s too late, he’s already smitten. It was probably too late for him the second he stepped into Bokuto’s kitchen a week ago, because they’d decided he’s going to be a part of their family. In truth, Akaashi doesn’t have the will or the want to argue.

        Akaashi sighs and presses himself into Bokuto’s side. Bokuto throws an arm around him greedily pulling him in. Kuroo looks like he’s just going to accept that, but Akaashi wasn’t. He smacks the back of his hand against Kuroo’s until he looks down to see the offered hand.

         “Heh, who knew Akaashi was so cute,” he comments, lacing their fingers together.

        “I did,” Bokuto chimes, and he looks too happy for Akaashi to argue.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I just was at a park with sand pits for volley ball and thought how delighted they'd be to run into it, haha.
> 
>  **Next Chapter** : Confessions, in which we admit to our first crushes.


	12. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo's crush before he was blinded by the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _WOW. Sorry for the delay for anyone waiting! My bad! @____@_
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _I am **very easily distracted** but here's a bit more! And a bit more to finish it up!_

        “So, we’re you’re boyfriends now?” Bokuto asks a second time as they return to their apartment after the date. He’s tentative, but Kuroo doesn’t need the confirmation. Akaashi would know better than to use the term in front of them if he didn’t mean it.

        Akaashi sighs as if put upon, pushing past Bokuto into the apartment. “At least let me take off my shoes first,” he complains.

         “You’re staying?” Kuroo asks, his grin cutting across his face. Akaashi turns.

         “For a bit,” he says, narrowing his eyes at Kuroo, who’s smile only broadens. It’s a lie and they both know it. Akaashi has no intention of going home.

         “I’ll get us drinks,” Kuroo cheers, heading for the fridge. He can feel Akaashi’s eyes still on him, but he doesn’t protest.

        Bokuto is looking a bit upset by the time Kuroo was back, juggling three drinks. It takes Kuroo a moment to realize it was because he still hasn’t gotten an answer. He’s been ignored once, though, so he’s refusing to ask again. His cheeks are a little inflated as he tries to act ‘annoyed at being ignored’ rather than ‘hurt he doesn’t know if we’re all boyfriends’.

        Kuroo gives Akaashi his drink and then walks over to Bokuto. “I got this” he mouths with a wink, then turns to Akaashi who’s heading towards the little living room area, naturally pushing and sorting toys to where they belong with his foot as he goes.

         “So! When are you moving in?” Kuroo asks, suddenly and loudly.

         “Not until I’m done with my thesis. After I graduate in the spring,” he replies automatically. Then pauses. He turns around slowly to find both of them grinning at him. “ _IF_ I’m going to move in,” he tags on lamely. It’s too late, he’s given it away. He’s clearly already thought about moving in, formulating a plan and mentally cancelling his lease.

         “He’s going to move in in spring,” Bokuto cheers happily.

         “Because he’s our _boyfriend_ ,” Kuroo adds.

         “I’m _considering_ the possibility… because we’re dating,” Akaashi corrects. Bokuto is beaming now.

        Akaashi tosses himself down on the couch and they follow suit, sitting on either side of him. Kuroo throws an arm around the back of the couch while Bokuto searches for the remote before realizing he’d walked it to the kitchen with him that morning. He bounces right back up to retrieve it. There was a little silence as they waited for Bokuto to return, so he could put something on that they could promptly ignore. He rolls his head towards Akaashi and considers.

         “You know I had a crush on you first,” Kuroo admits. Before Akaashi can respond, Bokuto is leaping over the couch, shoving his way between the two of them.

         “Whaaaat?” he shouts.

        Kuroo ignores him and watches Akaashi instead even as he's jostled by his larger boyfriend bouncing them around. Akaashi looks unimpressed, or unconvinced.

         “No really,” he insists. “That first joint training--no wait actually Kenma tells it best, hold on,” he says and gets two raised eyebrows when he actually snags his phone up to call him.

         “Kenma!” he says, putting his phone on speaker.

         “Who _calls_ people anymore?” A mild but judgmental voice asks in lieu of a greeting.

         “This is important,” Kuroo insists. Kenma hums unenthusiastically for him to go on. “What's the first thing I said when we had our first practice match with the Fukurōdani?”

         “You asked me if it was gay that you wanted to make out with their setter,” he replies dully. Kuroo smiles proudly. “I told you that it absolutely was and to stop it, but you've been going on being unapologetically gay ever since. I guess that's what I get for befriending you….”

         “See?” Kuroo says gesturing to the phone.

         “Who sees what?” Kenma asks, sounding put upon by the whole phone call.

         “I was just proving a point to my new boyfriend” Kuroo says proudly.

         “You don't get to call him ‘new’ anymore. Especially since you've been half an inch away from making out since second year,” he sighs dramatically.

         “No my newER boyfriend” he replies. Kenma doesn't even bother to ask for clarification. It would sound like he’s hung up if not for the quiet tapping of a game controller in the background. Kuroo isn’t daunted by Kenma showing zero curiocity on the subject. That’s just how Kenma is. He knows he’ll get an answer if it’s important.

         “I’m dating Akaashi _and_ Bokuto now.” He shoots a grin at Akaashi, delighted to get to use the term. The reply takes some time, Kenma is rarely in a rush in a conversation. Eventually though he does respond.

         “I thought Akaashi had better taste than that.”

         “Didn't we all, and yet here I am…” Akaashi says, the shrug of his shoulders evident in his voice.

         “Hey! We're great boyfriends,” Bokuto protests.

         “You are…” Akaashi lays a hand on Bokuto's thigh and his eyes light up. Kuroo raises an eyebrow. “You _both_ are.”

         “Blehk,” Kenma says mildly. “Can I go before you all start getting sentimental or making out?”

         “Heh, yeah yeah.” Kuroo says. There's a pause.

         “You'll be good dads…” he adds. Kuroo learned to always wait for him to hang up first for last minute additions like that. “Like, as a whole you'll probably make one good dad, I think.”

         “I love you too, Kenma” Bokuto croons loudly over Kuroo's shoulder.

         “Yep, I'm out,” Kenma says hanging up. Kuroo chuckles.

         “So, you wanted to make out with Akaashi and I was just a substitute,” Bokuto says after the call is officially over. There's no hurt under the words. In fact, he’s grinning, ready to lovingly use this against Kuroo for the foreseeable future.

         “Yeah, I fell for Akaashi first, then got distracted but the goddamn sun for 8 years,” he says.

         “So, you've wanted to kiss me 8 years,” Akaashi states. He leans around Bokuto, a hand fitting its way between their thighs to stabilize himself as he presses into Kuroo's space. Bokuto clearly doesn't know what to do with the sheer amount of Akaashi laid out before him. He looks to Kuroo wide eyed for help. Kuroo, though, is too busy being stared down by a pair of sharp eyes, trying to match their intensity.

         “Don't tell me you wouldn't have kissed me back,” he says, with a cocky glint in his eyes. Kuroo leans in to meet him, tilting his head just enough to bring their lips into direct kissing path.

         “Well…” Akaashi breathes softly, but whatever was coming next was cut off by a yelp as he nearly falls off the couch, awkwardly twisting in surprise. Both pairs of eyes shoot to Bokuto, who's hand shoot into the air.

         “These pants make your ass look amazing!” he cries in his defense.

         “They really do,” Kuroo agrees, chuckling. Akaashi's eyes dart back to him. “They'd look better on Bokuto's floor though.”

         “Hey!!” Bokuto objects, “ ** _our_** floor.”

         “Ah, yeah yeah! _Our_ floor,” Kuroo corrects.

        Akaashi snorts. “I’m going to go get changed,” he murmurs, pushing himself up. It’s a victory despite losing the amazing view of Akaashi’s backside he’d been gifted with the whole evening. He’s conceded that he’s staying the night and Kuroo feels an excited flutter in his heart at the thought.

         “Do you need help?” Bokuto calls after him. Akaashi doesn’t even turn around to throw a middle finger over a shoulder at him. Clearly something had happened, but he’s content to leave that one as a mystery for now.

         “Wait!” Kuroo objects. “I was gonna get that 8 year overdue kiss!”

        Akaashi turns back. “I’m pretty sure that was taken care of back at the park,” he says.

         “Well, I thought about kissing you more than once,” Kuroo protests. He sees Akaashi bite his lip, resisting the urge to smile too adorably, but the joke’s on him because the expression is even better for it. It’s also all together foreign on his face and the flutter in Kuroo’s heart gets a little more violent, not sure what to do with a cute Akaashi.

         “How many?” Akaashi asks and Kuroo just stares. He’s already forgotten what comment he’d made since the lip biting took over his thoughts. “I have to start working through the backlog, right?” he asks, leaning over. Kuroo’s eyes widen.

         “Oh, that’s a looooot of backlog. I was a mess a hormones, it’s basically all I thought about other than volleyball for about-,” he starts, but Bokuto breaks in.

         “8 years,” he offers. “Cuz you clearly haven’t stopped since I met you. You’re totally a horn dog.”

         “Oh, yeah like I see you complain-” Kuroo’s defense is cut off by a peck. Then two more, one soft and the next solid. Akaashi pulls back.

         “Mark off three,” he says, waving three fingers at him as he turns to head to the bedroom.

        Kuroo’s hand is over his mouth, shocked as Akaashi saunters away. Bokuto is cackling. “He’s going to have you so whipped in no time. Oh, this is so good.”

        Kuroo snaps out of it to grab Bokuto and yank him into a headlock, “Oh like he hasn’t had you wrapped around his finger since high school,” he growls.

        They’re on the ground, Bokuto just managing to pin Kuroo by the time Akaashi returns, in pajama pants he’d left over and a Fukurōdani t-shirt that looks too big on him. He looks casual and comfy and at home already. They both freeze and look up at him innocently. He raises an eyebrow but proceeds to simply step over them to sit on the couch. They scramble up to join him.

 

        The night is like most any night with the three of them together would be. They talk and laugh easily. They had always existed in close contact, Bokuto never being one to shy away from it, but the touches are a little different now. New territory is breached in a leisurely fashion. Fingers skim above the knee and over hip bones with intention. Heads lean on shoulders and nuzzle in with an unreserved affection. The general level of cuddling is more intertwined. They find how to sit as a trio of tangle limbs very naturally.

        Bokuto is running fingers through Akaashi’s hair talking loudly and laughing until Kuroo shushes him.

         “He’s asleep,” he says, dropping his voice and looking incredibly amused. Bokuto is shocked when he looks down and realizes it’s true, Akaashi had fallen asleep leaning back onto his chest.

         “We… must have worn him out,” Bokuto says, his voice falling to ‘sleeping baby’ volumes. His hand is still running through his hair.

         “I’ve never seen him asleep,” Kuroo’s face is scrunched up as if thinking of every college party and training camp. “I feel like I need to draw on his face or something…”

         “Noooo,” Bokuto quietly pleads. “He’ll never stay over again.” He wraps his arms a little tighter around his new boyfriend, feeling protective. It still feels so fragile, no matter how naturally they’d fallen into it. Akaashi’s own grip tightens in response, turning his head into the arm and sighing a deep sleepy breath into Bokuto’s bicep.

        Kuroo snorts, “Nah.” He scoots in to lean over Akaashi and kiss Bokuto. “We got him. He’s not going anywhere.” He sounds so sure that Bokuto feels the confidence fill him as well.

 

        Akaashi might complain waking up on the couch instead of in a bed, but he’s too contentedly warm to even consider it. He turns and finds himself facing that same soft morning light pouring over Bokuto’s face he did weeks ago. His heart tightens for a moment, then he remembers. This time he _can_ kiss him. So, he does.

        He fights his way out of the hold just enough to make it the few inches he needs to press his lips to Bokuto’s. Without hesitation, he’s kissed back lazily and slowly, arms tightening around him. Groggy greetings are mumbled into his lips as the arms go slack again. He lets himself melt back into the bliss of a warm body under him.

         “Coffee?” a chipper voice breaks his sleepy making out and he jolts apart from Bokuto a little. “Oh, no, don’t stop on my account. I just need to know how much to make.” Kuroo was smiling altogether too pleased with himself, his bedhead suspiciously styled. Akaashi wonders how long he’s been up to make sure he looked handsome ahead of time.

         “Mmm,” he mumbles in an affirmative sound, which is good enough for Kuroo, who turns back towards the kitchen.

         “Ahh, Akaaashiiiii.” Akaashi can feel the gravelly murmur in Bokuto’s chest pressed against his. His eyes are barely open but he’s smiling. “I forgot you actually stayed.” He shifts them both, rolling him to the inside of the couch to look at him out of the sunlight, clearly too much for his sleepy eyes. He smiles wider.

         “What, did you think I was Kuroo?” Akaashi asks.

         “No. Kuroo’s waaaay more aggressive in the morning,” he chuckles and Akaashi hums back in amusement. “I just thought I’d dreamt you fell asleep on me, so maybe I was dreaming the kiss too.”

         “Nope. I’m here,” Akaashi’s eyes trail up to see the cups hovering above them now. “Though I’m curious now what ‘aggressive’ in the mornings means,” he says, eyeing Kuroo and watching the smile slice across his face in response. He picks himself up and takes the coffee. Bokuto groans and pushes himself up more reluctantly. Kuroo sits down but doesn’t hand Bokuto the cup, letting him stretch and yawn and toss his limbs around before bothering, knowing he’ll be a spill hazard otherwise. He turns to Akaashi instead.

         “Bo’s exaggerating. I’m always a perfect gentleman.” In response to the skeptically raised eyebrow he rephrases, “I’m always a perfect gentleman until given permission to be otherwise.”

         “Ahh,” Akaashi nods, accepting the amended version as he takes a sip of the coffee. He shoots Kuroo a surprised look, to which he just sips his own coffee looking pleased. So, Kuroo had taken note of how he likes his coffee at some point or another. Impressive for how rarely they’d have spent mornings together. “Well,” Akaashi says after another sip. “Don’t stand on ceremony on my account.”

        Kuroo is just turning around to hand Bokuto his drink, now that he’d stretched himself out, when he does a double take. “Oh?” he asks curiously. Akaashi just smiles into his coffee mug, pleased to catch Kuroo off guard when he was trying to be suave.

         “Next time you stay over, I’ll make sure to give you a proper wake up call,” Kuroo promises. Akaashi keeps his expression calm, but he can feel his heart thumping in his chest a little harder. It’s a lot to take in in one morning, but he’s feeling bold, and he figures he should take advantage of that. After all, they are his boyfriends now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Chapter** : _Family_ , in which eventually Shizume had to find out about the new arrangement.
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope you are all enjoying this fic! Lemme know what you think~


	13. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you have to take the winding road to get to where you are meant to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter for this fic, for a bita closure on some things.
> 
> Thanks everyone for reading, kudoing, bookmarking, and commenting!

         “I am so going to be the cool dad,” Kuroo comments out of nowhere.

         “What? Since when are you the cool one?” Bokuto asks.

         “Uh, since always.”

         “I’m way cooler than you bro. I’m cool dad,” Bokuto says certainly.

         “No way. Akira will def think I’m the coolest. I’m hip with the kids, Bokuto. You didn’t even know what was going on when you _were_ a kid,” he insists. “You’re like… good spirited, lets you get away with the little things as long as you don’t tell your mom, dad.”

         “That’s _so_ the cool dad!” he argues.

         “No, cool dad actively takes you to cool things, like concerts and stuff,” he says.

         “You won’t be taking her anywhere cool without me!”

         “Oh, so many cool things. I’m gonna take her to get her first tattoo, and get her belly button pierced,” he says, smirking.

         “No! Nononono! No way! No tattoos. No piercings. In fact, no concerts! There’s drinking and drugs and stuff at concerts. None of that,” Bokuto says, his protective nature triggering at the thought, even if he knows Kuroo is teasing.

         “Okay, okay, I won’t make your daughter into a little thug,” Kuroo concedes. “I guess she won’t be calling me ‘cool dad’. I’m telling her that’s all your fault.”

         “Hmm,” Bokuto seems suddenly very serious, “What _is_ she gonna call you guys?” he asks. “She can’t call you guys by your name… but your not really uncles, you’re more than that…”

         “I’m daddy, you’re papa, and Akaashi is… just dad,” Kuroo offers, shrugging.

         “Too informal. Akaashi is ‘Father’,” Bokuto corrects, dropping to a very formal tone for the last word.

        Akaashi looks up from his textbook, thoroughly unimpressed, “You do understand this is why I’m not moving in while I’m still at school, right?” he asks.

         “Okay, _you_ can be daddy,” Kuroo offers, smirking. Akaashi rubs his temple, sighing.

         “Ahh, but after you graduate, right?” Bokuto asks. “Kuroo is stingy with cuddles at night,” he gripes.

         “You’re an _oven_. I have to sleep practically naked just to avoid being roasted alive by you,” Kuroo defends.

         “And who is complaining about you sleeping naked?” Bokuto asks. Akaashi closes his book, giving up. It was nearly time for Akira to get here anyway and he was going to enjoy his last moments of freetime before the final stretch of schooling chewed up his soul and spat it out about two weeks later.

        He stands up and walks around the table, stopping first at Bokuto to lean over and kiss his cheek. “I’ll cuddle with you tonight,” he promises. He then continued his walk around the table to stop next at Kuroo and kiss his cheek as well, “I’ll protect you from Bokuto,” he promises. Kuroo chuckles.

         “My hero. Protecting me from sweaty groping hands while I’m trying to sleep,” Kuroo faux swoons into Akaashi, still leaned down to his level.

         “I make no promises there will be no groping,” Akaashi replies evenly, and just low enough into his ear that Kuroo makes a scandalized noise.

         “What?” Bokuto asks, his attention drawn back by the loud noise.

         “Your boyfriend is offering to feel me up,” Kuroo says.

         “Nice,” Bokuto replies, sincerely. Kuroo laughs.

        Akaashi stands up, rolling his eyes and heading to the door before it even buzzes.

         “God, your internal clock is crazy accurate,” Kuroo comments in awe as Akaashi doesn’t even have to slow, just open the door.

 

        Akaashi gets to take Akira first. Shizume doesn’t even think when she hands her over. It’s just natural. She sighs loudly as she walks in. She beelines to the kitchen table, toeing off her shoes and kicking them back for Akaashi to neatly scoot into place with his feet as he entertains a squiggling baby.

         “Bokuto! Which shirt looked sexier on me, the red one with the shoulder cut outs or the black one with the cleavage?” she asks, sitting herself down.

         “Oooh! I liked the red-Ah, but your boobs still look really good right now!” Bokuto says, thoughtfully, instantly at a loss.

         “I have a date tomorrow. I haven’t dated in foreeever,” she whines.

         “I’d go with the cleavage and a necklace that’ll draw the eye into it,” Kuroo suggests, an amused smile on his lips.

         “Ohh, that’s not a bad idea,” she says sounding surprised.

         “I have plenty of good ideas,” he replies, defensively.

         “Yeah and dumb ones,” she retorts pointedly.

         “Are you excited for your date tomorrow?” he asks, changing the subject.

         “Oh yeah! He’s crazy handsome and let me blather on about Akira for half our coffee date,” she gushes.

         “Guess who freed you up for that hot date you got!” Kuroo smacks his hand down on the table triumphantly.

         “Akaashi mostly, from my understanding,” she says as Akaashi steps up behind them.

         “Oh please. He’s full of all sorts of stupid ideas,” Kuroo insists.

         “Akaashi?” Shizume and Bokuto ask incredulously in unison.

         “Yeah! I mean, he agreed to date us,” Kuroo says.

         “Whaaaat?” Shizume drags out, eyes widening as outrage paints over her expression. She turns sharply to give Akaashi an accusatory look. “I _asked_ you! You lying hussy!” Akaashi sighs.

         “I had no intentions of dating Bokuto when you asked me,” he replies calmly.

         “Wait! What did she ask you? When?” Bokuto asks, looking confused.

         “When you first joined our study group,” Akaashi explains, sighin. “She was eyeing you all afternoon. She pulled me aside after to ask if there was anything going on between us.”

         “And you told me you had no interest in him,” she says.

         “I said I had no intention of dating him,” he corrects.

         “And yet here we are!” she shouts. “God, how long has this been going on-wait-BOTH of them, Akaashi?” she seems a little overwhelmed, not knowing who to look at even.

         “Akaashi! You didn’t want to date me in college?” Bokuto asks, sounding sad.

         “I didn’t say I didn’t want to date you-,” Akaashi starts.

         “So, you DID want to date him!” Shizume cuts in.

         “I didn’t say that either.” He sighs. Kuroo is just sitting there, smirking at the chaos he’s created. Akaashi shoots him a glare and his grin only grows.

         “You should have told me back then and we could have avoided soooo much trouble,” Shizume groans.

         “No. I shouldn’t have,” Akaashi assures, a little quieter, looking down at Akira who doesn’t seem bothered by the commotion but instead is sleepily curling into Akaashi’s chest, holding his finger and occasionally gnawing on it. The room calms.

         “Okay, you got me there,” she sighs. Bokuto is grinning suddenly, agreeing. She waves off his onslaught of positivity. “This little girl is going to have a hell of a time dating. Imagine having to meet _at least_ three protective father figures?” she shook her head. “It’ll be a gauntlet…”

         “We’ll be nice!” Bokuto insists.

         “What’s so scary about us?” Kuroo asks with a smirk, knowing full well what would be so scary about the three of them.

         “I’ll kill anyone who tries to hurt her,” Akaashi says calmly, booping the little girl on the nose and receiving a sleepy little half giggle.

        Shizume snorts. “You and me both.”

 

        The little girl gets passed off to Kuroo and Bokuto sometime later while Akaashi walks Shizume to the door.

         “I know I said to keep on eye on them, but I think you took me a little too seriously,” she comments as she pulls on her shoes. He chuckles. She glances back at the two of them, and Akaashi looks back too. “Are you sure this will work out?” she asks, but she doesn’t sound so skeptical anymore.

         “Not really,” Akaashi admits, “But I think I love them, so…” he trails off.

         “God, don’t go all sentimental on me, man!” She punches him in the shoulder and he chuckles, taking the abuse. He’s earned it.

         “My apologies. They have very nice biceps. I want them to bench press me,” he offers, deadpan.

         “Ha! Okay, I know you’re joking, but also I know you are totally not,” she insists. She calms down a little and looks back between the two men fussing over a baby, and Akaashi, who isn’t even trying to hide his soft smile and warm gaze back at them.

         “I think you three will be alright,” she determines. Akaashi’s attention pulls slowly back to her, raising an eyebrow.

         “That little girl is going to have a full volleyball teams worth of dads when Bokuto’s through, though,” she says, “I expect her to go to nationals at least.” Akaashi shushes her.

         “Don’t start them on it until she can walk at least,” he cautions.

         “Right right right.” She chuckles and leans on to kiss Akaashi on the cheek. “Take care of them, alright?”

         “Of course,” he agrees, then adds, “Go with the pink floral dress. It looks classy and innocent, so you get away with the plunging neckline.”

         “Oooh! I always knew you were my favorite,” she says, wagging a finger at him.

        They part ways and Akaashi turns back to his two boyfriends and their daughter. They were trying to get her to walk on her own to Kuroo, but she kept turning around to cling to Bokuto’s leg the second he pulled his fingers out of her little grasping hands. Akaashi smiles to himself. The scene is all giggles and excitement and the best part is he gets to be a part of it now. They are his boyfriends, his daughter, his family. And they’re perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all have enjoyed this fic. I really enjoyed writing it!  
> Lemme know what you thought! I love feedback~  
> ( ~~I'm so tempted to write another fic jumping forward in time with them all dadding hahaha~~.)


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